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To be, or not to be: that is the question: Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune" William Shakespeare, "Hamlet" (1600-01)

Tuesday, August 02, 2005

ActiveSync Blooper !

Now this is got to be interesting, A recent Activesync vulnerability reported by a Russian Group.


Microsoft ActiveSync is widely used to synchronies Windows based PDAs
and smartphones with desktop computer. PDA can connect to PC via
COM/USB/IR or LAN. Before synchronization user on PC must setup
"partnership" to allow synchronization. If PDA is protected with
password user on PC should provide password before he can access the
device.

Synchronization over LAN has some design weakness.

1. All data, including initial "authentication", is transmitted in clear
text. This is OK in case COM/USB and other physical protected
communication, but LAN (Wi-Fi in most cases) is very sensitive for
sniffing.
2. Even if PDA is password protected, ActiveSync doesn't ask password in
case of network synchronization. I’m not sure, what is it - security bug
or feature, because password is transmitted in clear text over USB.
3. ActiveSync doesn't use any form of authentication for server (PC) or
client (PDA), so fake server or fake client attack is possible.

Discover Activesync with LAN synchronization allowed

nmap -p 5679 192.168.0.*

Fake server

It is easy to build fake server attack without special software. All you
need are ActiveSync, sniffer and any MitM condition.

1. Install ActiveSync on fake server. Enable network synchronization
2. Realize MitM condition.
3. Launch you favorite sniffer and set filter to save TCP packets on port 5679.
4. Wait for PDA connection.
5. Open sniffer and check second data packet from PDA. At offset 0x14 and 0x18 you can see partnerships ids. Activesync can support up to 2 PC and as you can see, PDA send both IDs in the "handshake"
6. Import template in registry. Change key HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows CE Services\Partners\ to sniffed partnership id.
7. Wait for another connection and check ActiveSinc, device should be connected as "guest". Even if you got "Synchronization Error", try to click "Explore" button on the toolbar.

Fake Client

Is very similar to the fake server, but you don't need MitM conditions
to accomplish this attack. All you need it a name of PC and
corresponding "partnership id".

1. Launch your favorite registry editor for Windows Mobile.
2. Navigate to HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows CE Services\Partners\P1
3. Create string value PName =
4. Create DWORD value PId =
5. Launch active sync on PDA and try to connect. If everything is ok,
synchronization will occur.

Mitigating factors
1. LAN synchronization disabled by default
2. To implement "fake client" you should know Partnership ID. It’s hard
to guess (2^32), but because ActiveSync accept 2 partnership ID per
connection, actually we need (2^31) connections for bruteforce.

Read More here

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