Exposing Sensitive Data: A Wake-Up Call for Nokia's Security

Exposing Sensitive Data: A Wake-Up Call for Nokia's Security

Hello, my name is Gouri Sankar A, and I am a cybersecurity researcher. In my journey of discovering security flaws and vulnerabilities in various platforms, I came across an interesting case with Nokia’s web application. During one such assessment of Nokia’s platform, I stumbled upon a concerning issue involving the exposure of critical telemetry data within their JavaScript code. This write-up details the vulnerability I discovered, the response I received from Nokia’s security team, My goal is to share these insights for educational purposes and help others understand the importance of securing sensitive information in modern web applications.

The Discovery

While inspecting Nokia’s website , I found several sensitive pieces of data embedded within the page source, exposed directly in the JavaScript code. These included:

1. Loader Configuration and Application Data:

Agent ID, Account ID, Trust Key, License Key, Application ID, and XPID.

These details are used for New Relic telemetry authentication and application monitoring.

2. Account and Application Data:

Account ID, Trust Key, Agent ID, License Key, and Application ID.

This set of data is vital for accessing and managing the application’s telemetry information.

3. New Relic API Key:

The API key, which can be used to access monitoring data and potentially manipulate the application’s insights.

4. Telemetry Data Details:

Beacon endpoint, License Key, Application ID, Transaction Name, etc.

These details can be exploited to monitor application behavior, submit fraudulent data, or decode sensitive transaction information.

The Potential Risks

The exposure of this data could have serious consequences. Unauthorized parties could gain access to:

Fraudulent Data Submissions: Attackers could inject fake monitoring data into the system.

Unauthorized Access to Telemetry Systems: Sensitive performance and transaction data could be accessed by malicious users.

Information Leakage: Attackers could glean valuable insights into Nokia’s infrastructure and application behavior.

Given the critical nature of this data, it could be leveraged to launch various attacks, from data manipulation to service disruption.

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Nokia’s Response

After reporting these findings to Nokia’s security team, I received the following response:

> "These things are supposed to be there for the browser."

While it is not uncommon for certain data to be sent to the browser for legitimate purposes, exposing sensitive credentials, keys, and telemetry data directly in the client-side JavaScript is a grave security flaw. Such information should never be exposed to users or attackers via public-facing websites, as it compromises the integrity and confidentiality of the entire application.

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Why This Is a Vulnerability

Nokia’s response suggests a misunderstanding of basic security practices. Exposing sensitive data in the front-end JavaScript, regardless of its intended purpose, is a fundamental mistake. These variables should be handled securely on the server-side and not sent to the browser where they can be easily accessed by anyone who inspects the page source.

The risks posed by this exposure are significant and could have a severe impact on Nokia’s system and its users. The failure to acknowledge this as a vulnerability shows a lack of understanding of current best practices in web security.

Additionally, while I did not exploit the exposed API key, the potential exists for malicious actors to do so. The fact that it is publicly accessible means that anyone could use it to access the monitoring system, manipulate data, or even disrupt the application. Although the key wasn’t directly exploited in this case, its mere exposure is a significant security issue.

Conclusion

It is unfortunate that Nokia’s security team did not consider this an issue. As a cybersecurity researcher, my role is to identify and report vulnerabilities to improve the security of online platforms. I hope this report serves as a reminder to all organizations about the importance of securing sensitive data, even if it is “intended for the browser.”

This post is meant for educational purposes, and I hope it helps others in understanding the potential risks associated with exposing sensitive information in the client-side code. The security of platforms like Nokia's is crucial, and I am optimistic that with proper attention, this vulnerability could be addressed.

Stay safe and vigilant in your cybersecurity practices!

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Disclaimer: This post is written in the interest of educating others about security vulnerabilities. It is not intended to harm any organizations, and the information shared is based on my own research. however, its exposure remains a security risk.

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