CyberSecBulletin
CVE-2022-22789NVD status: Modified

FormStorm Enterprise: Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information

CVE-2022-22789 is a high-severity cleartext storage of sensitive information vulnerability in FormStorm Enterprise from Charactell, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.8 out of 10. It can be exploited with local access to the system by an attacker with a low-privileged account, without any action from a user. Affected FormStorm Enterprise versions: FormStorm Enterprise version 9.00.065 9.00.065. The record does not name a fixed version, so check the vendor advisory. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.15% chance of exploitation within 30 days, which is low compared with other CVEs.

Next patch cycle

High severity with no evidence of exploitation so far.

What to do

  1. Check which version of FormStorm Enterprise you run against the affected versions below, and install the vendor's latest release.

Affected products and versions

VendorProductAffected versionsFixed in
CharactellFormStorm EnterpriseFormStorm Enterprise version 9.00.065 9.00.065Not stated
CharactellFormstorm9.00.065Not stated

Version data comes from the organisation that assigned the CVE. Confirm against the vendor advisory before deciding you are unaffected.

How the severity score breaks down

Attack vector
LocalThe attacker needs local access or must trick a user into running something.
Attack complexity
LowNo special conditions are needed; the attack works reliably.
Privileges required
LowA basic user account is enough.
User interaction
NoneNo action by a victim is required.
Scope
UnchangedImpact stays within the vulnerable component.
Confidentiality
HighAll data handled by the component can be read.
Integrity
HighData or code can be modified at will.
Availability
HighThe component can be taken down completely.

Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H. Scored by NVD.

Scoring systemScoreSeverityScored by
CVSS 3.16.1MediumCNA (cyber.gov.il)
CVSS 3.17.8HighNVD
CVSS 2.04.6MediumNVD

Official description

Charactell - FormStorm Enterprise Account takeover – An attacker can modify (add, remove and update) passwords file for all the users. The xx_users.ini file in the FormStorm folder contains usernames in cleartext and an obfuscated password. Malicious user can take over an account by replacing existing password in the file.

Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.

The underlying weakness: Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information

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

How developers prevent this class of flaw

  • When storing data in the cloud (e.g., S3 buckets, Azure blobs, Google Cloud Storage, etc.), use the provider's controls to encrypt the data at rest.
  • 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.

More Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information vulnerabilities (CWE-312)

Timeline

  1. CVE record published.
  2. Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).

References

Third-party and government advisories

Recent Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information vulnerabilities

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