Re: Filezilla's silent caching of user's credentials

[Chris Evans <scarybeasts () gmail com>]

Finally, a note of sanity in this thread.

On Tue, Oct 12, 2010 at 8:33 PM, Mutiny <mutiny () kevinbeardsucks com> wrote:

> The issue is that someone gained access to that file.  You sharing your
> drives over the internet with read privileges?  You have other
> vulnerable software being leveraged to read that file?  Would you prefer
> they MD5'd it?  It sounds like your issue is that your password is
> stored.  I mean, they moved your encrypted password from passwd to
> shadow for a reason, but that doesn't change the fact that it's stored
> and if someone doesn't need access to shadow or passwd, they shouldn't
> have it.
>
> Stop logging into your FTP server from a public terminal with Filezilla.
>
>
> On 10/9/2010 11:00 AM, Vipul Agarwal wrote:
> > That's a live and good example. I hope that now they'll understand the
> > importance of the issue.
> >
> > On Fri, Oct 8, 2010 at 11:28 AM, Shirish Padalkar
> > <shirish.padalkar () tcs com>wrote:
> >
> > >
> http://www.google.com/#sclient=psy&hl=en&site=&source=hp&q=inurl:recentservers.xml&oq=inurl:recentservers.xml
> > > :)
> > >
> > >
> > >  From:
> > > Ryan Sears <rdsears () mtu edu>
> > > To:
> > > full-disclosure <full-disclosure () lists grok org uk>
> > > Date: 10/08/2010 08:52 AM Subject:
> > > [Full-disclosure] Filezilla's silent caching of user's credentials
> > > Sent by: full-disclosure-bounces () lists grok org uk
> > > ------------------------------
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > Hi all,
> > >
> > > As some of you may or may not be aware, the popular (and IMHO one of the
> > > best) FTP/SCP program Filezilla caches your credentials for every host
> you
> > > connect to, without either warning or ability to change this without
> editing
> > > an XML file. There have been quite a few bug and features requests
> filed,
> > > and they all get closed or rejected within a week or so. I also posted
> > > something in the developer forum inquiring about this, and received this
> > > response:
> > >
> > > "I do not see any harm in storing credentials as long as the rest of
> your
> > > system is properly secure as it should be."
> > >
> > > Source:(http://forum.filezilla-project.org/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=17932)
> > >
> > > To me this is not only concerning, but also completely un-acceptable.
> The
> > > passwords all get stored in PLAIN TEXT within your %appdata% directory
> in an
> > > XML file. This is particularly dangerous in multi-user environments with
> > > local profiles, because as we all know physical access to a computer
> means
> > > it's elementary at best to acquire information off it. Permissions only
> work
> > > if your operating system chooses to respect them, not to mention how
> simple
> > > it is *even today* to maliciously get around windows networks using
> > > pass-the-hash along with network token manipulation techniques.
> > >
> > > There has even been a bug filed that draws out great ways to
> psudo-mitigate
> > > this using built-in windows API calls, but it doesn't seem to really be
> > > going anywhere. This really concerns me because a number of my coworkers
> and
> > > friends were un-aware of this behavior, and I didn't even know about it
> > > until I'd been using it for a year or so. All I really want to see is at
> the
> > > very least just some warning that Filezilla does this.
> > >
> > > Filezilla bug report:(http://trac.filezilla-project.org/ticket/5530)
> > >
> > > My feelings have been said a lot more eloquently than I could ever hope
> to
> > > in that bug report:
> > >
> > > "Whoever keeps closing this issue and/or dismissing its importance
> > > understands neither security nor logical argument. I apologize for the
> slam,
> > > but it is undeniably true. Making the same mistake over and over does
> not
> > > make it any less of a mistake. The fact that a critical deficiency has
> > > existed for years does not make it any less critical a deficiency.
> > > Similarly, the fact that there are others (pidgin) who indulge in the
> same
> > > faulty reasoning does not make the reasoning any more sound." ~btrower
> > >
> > > While it's true you can mitigate this behavior, why should it even be
> > > enabled by default? The total lapse in security for such a feature-rich,
> > > robust piece of software is quite disturbing, and I don't understand how
> the
> > > developers don't think this is an issue.
> > >
> > > I just wanted to gauge the FD community on this issue, because with
> enough
> > > backing and explanation from the security community as to why this is a
> > > problem, this issue may finally be resolved (it's been doing this for
> years
> > > now).
> > >
> > > Regards,
> > > Ryan Sears
> > >
> > > _______________________________________________
> > > Full-Disclosure - We believe in it.
> > > Charter: http://lists.grok.org.uk/full-disclosure-charter.html
> > > Hosted and sponsored by Secunia - http://secunia.com/
> > >
> > >
> > > =====-----=====-----=====
> > > Notice: The information contained in this e-mail
> > > message and/or attachments to it may contain
> > > confidential or privileged information. If you are
> > > not the intended recipient, any dissemination, use,
> > > review, distribution, printing or copying of the
> > > information contained in this e-mail message
> > > and/or attachments to it are strictly prohibited. If
> > > you have received this communication in error,
> > > please notify us by reply e-mail or telephone and
> > > immediately and permanently delete the message
> > > and any attachments. Thank you
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > _______________________________________________
> > > Full-Disclosure - We believe in it.
> > > Charter: http://lists.grok.org.uk/full-disclosure-charter.html
> > > Hosted and sponsored by Secunia - http://secunia.com/
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > Full-Disclosure - We believe in it.
> > Charter: http://lists.grok.org.uk/full-disclosure-charter.html
> > Hosted and sponsored by Secunia - http://secunia.com/
>
> _______________________________________________
> Full-Disclosure - We believe in it.
> Charter: http://lists.grok.org.uk/full-disclosure-charter.html
> Hosted and sponsored by Secunia - http://secunia.com/
_______________________________________________
Full-Disclosure - We believe in it.
Charter: http://lists.grok.org.uk/full-disclosure-charter.html
Hosted and sponsored by Secunia - http://secunia.com/