Getting stored passwords in plain text from CheetaChat

From: b0f www.b0f.net (woot_woot_rootat_private)
Date: Thu Feb 13 2003 - 10:02:10 PST

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     ('binary' encoding is not supported, stored as-is)
    A bug exists in CheetaChat which lets an attacker with access to the
    yaliases.dat 
    to get users yahoo passwords in plain text.
    
    I. BACKGROUND
    CheetaChat is a free and full-featured chatting client that works with
    Yahoo! Chat, CheetaServ and Ichat sites. It lets users use solid
    tones,fades, custom fonts and styles! Share your music and files with
    friends . CheetaChat is a very popular chat client for Yahoo! Chat!. It
    can be downloaded from www.cheetachat.com
    
    II. DESCRIPTION
    
    When users add there yahoo id to cheetachat it gets encrypted and stored
    in a file called yaliases.dat which is stored in the folder CheetaChat
    was installed to. An attacker who can get access to the yaliases.dat
    file can easly retrive the users password's in plain text.
    
    Example: If the attacker loads this file up with cheetachat they can then
    get the users password by doing the following 1. log into cheetachat
    using the id. 2. click on the settings menu then preferences then once
    in there check the box that says Use internal Browser then click ok. 3.
    Now click on the Chat menu and click Account/Password . After this the
    internal browser will load up and send login and pass to the yahoo login
    , If you look at the very end of the address box you will see the users
    password in plain text like passwd= then the pass in plain text.
    
    
    III. ANALYSIS
    An attacker able to obtain the target users yaliases.dat file can easily
    obtain there yahoo id and password. This could give the attacker access
    to the targets full yahoo account including email ,  personal details
    and  if the user used the pay direct service on yahoo the attacker could
    get credit card information.  This is of special concern in shared
    environments.
    
    IV. DETECTION
    
    This is vulnerable in all versions on cheetachat including the latest
    version 6.5.10. I tested this on WindowsXP home with latest version of
    cheetachat.
    
    V. VENDOR
    I once contacted the vendor about this problem several months ago and
    never got a reply and the problem has never been fixed since.
    
    Regards
    b0f  (Alan M)
    www.b0f.net
    b0fat_private
    



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