Be Aware: Clear Text Passwords in Database Files

[Cory Streater]

FYI - I downloaded and installed SQLite Editor and used it to look at the Accounts.db & EmailProvider.db databases located in /data/system on a rooted Samsung Fascinate. What I found was disturbing: These databases displayed my Exchange, POP, SMTP, and IMAP account user names AND passwords in clear text. All of the aforementioned accounts had been configured in the stock messaging application. My Touchdown Exchange password data was encrypted. I then examined the same database files on a Droid X, and found that the stock messaging app had protected my account information. However, my Visual Voicemail password on the Droid X was displayed in clear text. Jerry Hildenbrand (AKA gbhil) ran the same tests on his plethora of rooted phones and found additional instances of apps storing password info in the clear. Following are lists of our findings based on the phones we were able to test and apps that we had installed. The lists should not be considered all inclusive.

Apps that did not display clear text password data:

• K-9
• Touchdown
• Gmail, Talk, Market (SIM/ESN data and CC data are hashed), and Google Voice
• HTC Messaging/Sense on the EVO (running stock Froyo and rooted), Seesmic, Twydroid, official Twitter, FB, and the new Open Feint games all look good.
• Motorola Blur Messaging on the Droid X

Apps that do display clear text password data:

• Verizon Visual Voicemail (Droid X)
• Samsung Fascinate (likely all Galaxy S phones) stock email application for all email protocols: POP, SMTP, IMAP, and Exchange
• Email apps on a Hero running CM6 (Froyo), and a Nexus One running stock Froyo, CM6, and leaked FRG33 Froyo
• Google's latest eMail client (from FRG33)
• HTC Peep

If you own a rooted Samsung Galaxy S phone, I would highly recommend an alternate messaging application, such as Touchdown (for Exchange) or K9 (for POP/IMAP). The same is true for both the Hero and Nexus 1.

Jerry will be publishing an article on the front page with more information, but the main takeaway is that you should always be cautious of applications requiring root access. Applications running as root will have FULL access to your phone, including account information from the above applications. The implications could be tremendous if your private information were obtained for malicious purposes. To date, we have seen no evidence of this, but wanted to raise awareness and open the topic up for discussion.

If you guys find any other apps that display clear text info, feel free to post them here. I will update this thread periodically to show this information.

[p08757]

Cory -- You are the man!!

I have not gotten my fascenate yet. What is the difference between Gmail that does not display clear text and Google's lates eMail client From FRG33?

Am I safe if I root, and run the stock Gmail client on the fascenate?

Thanks!!

[chhall]

My exchange password was not visible in the accounts.db file (Droid X). Our Exchange administrator is enforcing SSL on our webmail server. I wonder if this has anything to do with that.

[chhall]

Sorry. Just saw that you said that was only on Galaxy S. So FWIW, Exchange is not an issue on Droid X.

[strawedj]

So am i correct in saying that regardless of that info, since MA and other states require encryption of storage on any mobile device that might have PII, we'll need to look at prohibiting exchange access for all android devices?

[bjordan]

Thanks for all the work and the heads up.

[kaediil]

I just pulled my accounts.db off my rooted Evo 4G. I am running OMJ rom with the netarchy overclocking kernel. I looked and there are no plain text passwords. I see the three gmail accounts with encrypted passwords in the database.

The mail.db file which is under the htc email directory has my pop account and again the password is encrypted - I use ssl to access it, maybe that is why? Maybe it is just the htc email client?


Oh, duh, I see you said the HTC stuff does not show passwords. Well, I second that then for pop and exchange

-frank

[Cory Streater]

Per the first list above, passwords in HTC's EVO email app are indeed protected. So nothing to worry about there.

[Fahrenheit]

Any idea how to mount /data while booted in the phone (in terminal)? Or is the only way to do it in recovery?

EDIT: duh, never mind, I had to type su first to be able to see files in there.

EDIT 2: So while HTC apps encrypt the passwords (verified on Incredible), it still lists the email addresses, which is half the battle for hackers.

Sent from Incredible

[dcullen]

Thanks Cory! I logged on to see if I could find a recommendation for an email app and came across your info advising those of us who have rooted to use the K9 app. Works great! My email would NOT load on my Fascinate with the standard email app on the phone.
Thanks again!