CVE-2020-10538 : Security Advisory and Response

An issue was discovered in Epikur before 20.1.1 where secret passwords are stored as MD5 hashes without using salt, making them vulnerable to efficient brute-force attacks and rainbow table exploitation.

Understanding CVE-2020-10538

This CVE highlights a critical security flaw in Epikur versions prior to 20.1.1.

What is CVE-2020-10538?

Epikur software versions before 20.1.1 store user passwords as MD5 hashes in the database without utilizing salt, increasing the risk of password compromise through brute-force attacks.

The Impact of CVE-2020-10538

The vulnerability exposes user passwords to potential decryption, compromising user account security and confidentiality.

Technical Details of CVE-2020-10538

This section delves into the technical aspects of the vulnerability.

Vulnerability Description

Epikur versions before 20.1.1 store user passwords as MD5 hashes without using salt, making them susceptible to efficient brute-force attacks and rainbow table exploitation.

Affected Systems and Versions

Product: Epikur
Vendor: N/A
Versions affected: All versions before 20.1.1

Exploitation Mechanism

Attackers can exploit the lack of salt in MD5 hashing to efficiently brute-force passwords.
Rainbow tables can be used to accelerate the password cracking process.

Mitigation and Prevention

Protecting systems from this vulnerability requires immediate actions and long-term security practices.

Immediate Steps to Take

Upgrade Epikur to version 20.1.1 or newer that addresses the MD5 hashing issue.
Encourage users to change their passwords to strong, unique ones.

Long-Term Security Practices

Implement secure password storage mechanisms like bcrypt or Argon2.
Regularly educate users on creating strong passwords and enable multi-factor authentication.

Patching and Updates

Regularly update Epikur software to the latest versions to ensure security patches are applied promptly.