In recent developments, an alarming issue has emerged in the popular password manager software, KeePass. The discovery of new Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE) along with a Proof-of-Concept (PoC) has shed light on a local exploit capable of retrieving the master password in plain text. This article aims to delve into the details of this vulnerability and its potential impact on users. It is essential for students and cybersecurity professionals, both young and experienced, to stay informed about such threats to enhance their understanding and protect their digital assets.
This vulnerability centers around KeePass’ custom text box SecureTextBoxEx, specifically designed for entering master passwords and other crucial credentials. As users type their passwords, remnants of this information are left behind in the system’s Random Access Memory (RAM). Unfortunately, the nature of the .NET framework prevents the complete elimination of these remnants. Malicious actors can exploit this flaw by analyzing memory dumps extracted from the RAM, subsequently revealing the master password entered in the application.
There are two key factors to consider regarding this vulnerability. First, the password is only stored when typed manually and not when copy-pasted. Second, the password recovery process is almost comprehensive, excluding only the first character. For instance, if a user types “winter2012,” the recovered strings would appear as follows: •i, ••n, •••t, ••••e, •••••r, ••••••2, •••••••0, ••••••••1, •••••••••2.
The memory dump containing the master password can be obtained from various sources within the system, such as when the workspace is locked or even after KeePass is closed (although timing may impact the feasibility). Additionally, attackers can employ swap files (pagefile.sys), hibernation files (hiberfil.sys), or an entire system RAM dump to execute this attack. However, it is crucial to note that remote exploitation is not possible; successful execution requires compromising a privileged user account.
KeePass has promptly acknowledged this vulnerability and has taken measures to address the issue. A new version, which patches this security flaw, is expected to be released within the next few months. While the vulnerability remains present in the wild and could potentially be exploited until the patch is implemented, the current risk level associated with this vulnerability is considered low. Nevertheless, it is important to bear in mind that KeePass has explicitly stated that a “password database is not intended to be secure against an attacker who has that level of access to the local PC.”
My take: the emergence of local vulnerabilities, even in open-source password managers like KeePass, is not uncommon. Although the successful exploitation of this particular vulnerability requires specific prerequisites, it is disconcerting that KeePass has not given it the utmost attention. In the event of an administrator account compromise and subsequent recovery of passwords from the database, the ramifications could extend to compromises of both on-premises and remote systems. It is crucial to closely monitor the frequency and impact of this vulnerability to safeguard against potential risks.
Sources:
The Hacker News
Help Net Security
NIST CVE-2023-32784
GitHub PoC