CWE-318: Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information in Executable

What is Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information in Executable?

• Overview: The Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information in Executable vulnerability occurs when software stores sensitive information, such as passwords or cryptographic keys, directly within an executable file in an unencrypted or easily decipherable form. This makes it easy for attackers to extract this information through reverse engineering.

• Exploitation Methods:

• Attackers can exploit this vulnerability by examining the binary code of an executable to locate and extract sensitive data stored in cleartext.
• Common attack patterns include decompiling the executable, using string search tools to find ASCII text, and applying pattern recognition techniques to identify encoded data.

• Security Impact:

• Direct consequences of successful exploitation include unauthorized access to sensitive data, leading to further attacks such as data breaches or privilege escalation.
• Potential cascading effects may involve system compromise, loss of data integrity, or unauthorized use of software.
• Business impact can be severe, including reputational damage, financial losses, and legal repercussions due to non-compliance with data protection regulations.

• Prevention Guidelines:

• Specific code-level fixes include avoiding the storage of sensitive information directly in executables and using secure methods such as environment variables or secure vaults.
• Security best practices involve encrypting sensitive data at rest and using obfuscation techniques to make reverse engineering more difficult.
• Recommended tools and frameworks include using key management systems, employing runtime encryption libraries, and utilizing software obfuscation tools to protect binary code.

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Technical Details

Likelihood of Exploit: Not specified

Affected Languages: Not Language-Specific

Affected Technologies: Not specified

Vulnerable Code Example

// Vulnerable code storing sensitive information in cleartext in an executable

const API_KEY = "12345-ABCDE-67890-FGHIJ";  // This hardcodes sensitive information
const DB_PASSWORD = "supersecretpassword";  // Directly in the source code

module.exports = { API_KEY, DB_PASSWORD };  // Exposes sensitive data when code is shared

How to fix Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information in Executable?

To fix this vulnerability, follow these best practices:

• Environment Variables: Store sensitive information in environment variables. This prevents credentials from being hardcoded in the source code.
• Configuration Files: Use separate configuration files for storing sensitive data, and ensure these files are excluded from version control using .gitignore.
• Secrets Management Services: Utilize services like AWS Secrets Manager, Azure Key Vault, or HashiCorp Vault to securely store and retrieve sensitive data.

How to fix Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information in Executable?

Fixed Code Example

require('dotenv').config();  // Load environment variables from a .env file

// Fixed code using environment variables to store sensitive information

const API_KEY = process.env.API_KEY;  // Retrieves API key from environment
const DB_PASSWORD = process.env.DB_PASSWORD;  // Retrieves DB password from environment

module.exports = { API_KEY, DB_PASSWORD };  // Exports variables without exposing them in source code

In the fixed code:

• Line 5: The dotenv package is used to securely load environment variables from a .env file.
• Line 7-8: Sensitive information is accessed through process.env, ensuring it's not hardcoded in the source.
• Security Practices: The .env file should be kept secure and excluded from version control to prevent unauthorized access. Additionally, ensure environment variables are set in a secure manner in the deployment environment.