CVE Vulnerabilities

CVE-2021-23827

Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information

Published: Feb 23, 2021 | Modified: Sep 08, 2021
CVSS 3.x
5.5
MEDIUM
Source:
NVD
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N
CVSS 2.x
2.1 LOW
AV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:N/A:N
RedHat/V2
RedHat/V3
Ubuntu

Keybase Desktop Client before 5.6.0 on Windows and macOS, and before 5.6.1 on Linux, allows an attacker to obtain potentially sensitive media (such as private pictures) in the Cache and uploadtemps directories. It fails to effectively clear cached pictures, even after deletion via normal methodology within the client, or by utilizing the Explode message/Explode now functionality. Local filesystem access is needed by the attacker.

Weakness

The product stores sensitive information in cleartext within a resource that might be accessible to another control sphere.

Affected Software

Name Vendor Start Version End Version
Keybase Keybase * 5.6.0 (excluding)

Extended Description

Because the information is stored in cleartext (i.e., unencrypted), attackers could potentially read it. Even if the information is encoded in a way that is not human-readable, certain techniques could determine which encoding is being used, then decode the information. When organizations adopt cloud services, it can be easier for attackers to access the data from anywhere on the Internet. In some systems/environments such as cloud, the use of “double encryption” (at both the software and hardware layer) might be required, and the developer might be solely responsible for both layers, instead of shared responsibility with the administrator of the broader system/environment.

Potential Mitigations

References