Counterpane Password Safe Insecure Encryption Vulnerability

BID:15455

Info

Counterpane Password Safe Insecure Encryption Vulnerability

Bugtraq ID: 15455
Class: Design Error
CVE:
Remote: No
Local: Yes
Published: Nov 16 2005 12:00AM
Updated: Nov 16 2005 12:00AM
Credit: ElcomSoft Co.Ltd. discovered this vulnerability.
Vulnerable: Counterpane Password Safe 2.13
Counterpane Password Safe 1.92 b
Counterpane Password Safe 1.7.1
- Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server SP2
- Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server SP1
- Microsoft Windows 2000 Advanced Server
- Microsoft Windows 2000 Datacenter Server SP2
- Microsoft Windows 2000 Datacenter Server SP1
- Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional SP3
- Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional SP2
- Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional SP1
- Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional
- Microsoft Windows 2000 Server SP2
- Microsoft Windows 2000 Server SP1
- Microsoft Windows 2000 Server
- Microsoft Windows 95
- Microsoft Windows 98 SP1
- Microsoft Windows 98 b
- Microsoft Windows 98 a
- Microsoft Windows 98
- Microsoft Windows 98SE
- Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 SP6a
- Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 SP6
- Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 SP5
- Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 SP4
- Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 SP3
- Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 SP2
- Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 SP1
- Microsoft Windows NT 4.0
Counterpane Password Safe 2.x
Not Vulnerable:

Discussion

Counterpane Password Safe Insecure Encryption Vulnerability

Counterpane Password Safe is susceptible to an insecure encryption vulnerability that allows easier brute force decryption attacks.

Password Safe uses a key-stretching algorithm designed to dramatically slow down brute force password guessing attacks. A random value is encrypted with the Blowfish algorithm one thousand times with a value derived from the password used as the encryption key. In order to brute force attack the Password Safe database, an attacker must follow the same one thousand encryption steps on every password guess. This is done to make brute force attacks much more time and resource intensive, lowering the likelihood of a successful attack.

This vulnerability allows attackers with access to the Password Safe database to employ a brute force password guessing attack against the database much more efficiently that the Password Safe design intended. The data contained in the Password Safe database aids malicious users in further attacks.

Exploit / POC

Counterpane Password Safe Insecure Encryption Vulnerability

Currently we are not aware of any exploits for this issue. If you feel we are in error or are aware of more recent information, please mail us at: [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>.

Solution / Fix

Counterpane Password Safe Insecure Encryption Vulnerability

Solution:
Currently we are not aware of any vendor-supplied patches for this issue. If you feel we are in error or are aware of more recent information, please mail us at: [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>.

References

Counterpane Password Safe Insecure Encryption Vulnerability

References:

© CVE.report 2026

Use of this information constitutes acceptance for use in an AS IS condition. There are NO warranties, implied or otherwise, with regard to this information or its use. Any use of this information is at the user's risk. It is the responsibility of user to evaluate the accuracy, completeness or usefulness of any information, opinion, advice or other content. EACH USER WILL BE SOLELY RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY consequences of his or her direct or indirect use of this web site. ALL WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND ARE EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMED. This site will NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT or any other kind of loss.

CVE, CWE, and OVAL are registred trademarks of The MITRE Corporation and the authoritative source of CVE content is MITRE's CVE web site. This site includes MITRE data granted under the following license.

Free CVE JSON API cve.report/api

CVE.report and Source URL Uptime Status status.cve.report