Description
The storage of passwords in a recoverable format makes them subject to password reuse attacks by malicious users. In fact, it should be noted that recoverable encrypted passwords provide no significant benefit over plaintext passwords since they are subject not only to reuse by malicious attackers but also by malicious insiders. If a system administrator can recover a password directly, or use a brute force search on the available information, the administrator can use the password on other accounts.
Modes of Introduction:
– Architecture and Design
Likelihood of Exploit: High
Related Weaknesses
Consequences
Confidentiality, Access Control: Gain Privileges or Assume Identity
User’s passwords may be revealed.
Access Control: Gain Privileges or Assume Identity
Revealed passwords may be reused elsewhere to impersonate the users in question.
Potential Mitigations
Phase: Architecture and Design
Description:
Use strong, non-reversible encryption to protect stored passwords.