CVE-2017-1000157 : Vulnerability Insights and Analysis

This CVE involves a vulnerability in older versions of Mahara that could allow plain text passwords to be stored in the event_log table under certain conditions.

Understanding CVE-2017-1000157

Versions of Mahara older than 15.04.13, 16.04.7, 16.10.4, and 17.04.2 are affected by a security flaw that enables the storage of plain text passwords in the event_log table during user creation, but only if full event logging was enabled.

What is CVE-2017-1000157?

This CVE pertains to a vulnerability in Mahara versions that could lead to the storage of plain text passwords in the event_log table during user creation when full event logging is activated.

The Impact of CVE-2017-1000157

The vulnerability allows for the storage of plain text passwords, potentially compromising user credentials and posing a security risk.

Technical Details of CVE-2017-1000157

This section provides more technical insights into the CVE.

Vulnerability Description

Mahara versions 15.04.13, 16.04.7, 16.10.4, and 17.04.2 are susceptible to storing plain text passwords in the event_log table during user creation if full event logging is enabled.

Affected Systems and Versions

Mahara versions older than 15.04.13
Mahara versions older than 16.04.7
Mahara versions older than 16.10.4
Mahara versions older than 17.04.2

Exploitation Mechanism

The vulnerability occurs when creating a user with full event logging enabled, allowing plain text passwords to be stored in the event_log table.

Mitigation and Prevention

Protecting systems from this vulnerability is crucial.

Immediate Steps to Take

Upgrade Mahara to versions 15.04.13, 16.04.7, 16.10.4, or 17.04.2
Disable full event logging if not necessary

Long-Term Security Practices

Implement strong password policies
Regularly review and update security configurations

Patching and Updates

Apply patches provided by Mahara to address this vulnerability