CVE-2021-40527
📋 TL;DR
This vulnerability allows remote attackers to access sensitive developer files stored in an AWS S3 bucket by extracting plain-text credentials from the mobile application. The exposure occurs because the 'com.onepeloton.erlich' mobile application stores AWS credentials in plain text within the app. Users of the affected mobile application versions are at risk of having their developer files compromised.
💻 Affected Systems
- com.onepeloton.erlich mobile application
📦 What is this software?
Peloton by Onepeloton
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Attackers gain full access to the AWS S3 bucket, potentially exfiltrating sensitive developer files, intellectual property, or user data, leading to data breaches, compliance violations, and reputational damage.
Likely Case
Attackers access and download sensitive files from the S3 bucket, potentially exposing proprietary code, configuration files, or other development assets.
If Mitigated
If proper access controls and credential management are in place, attackers cannot use the exposed credentials to access the S3 bucket, limiting impact to credential exposure only.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires extracting credentials from the mobile application binary, which can be done using standard reverse engineering tools. No authentication is required to access the S3 bucket once credentials are obtained.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: Versions after 1.7.22
Vendor Advisory: Not publicly available
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Update the mobile application to the latest version from the official app store. 2. Ensure the application is restarted after update. 3. Verify that AWS credentials are no longer stored in plain text within the application.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable application usage
allUninstall or disable the vulnerable application until patched.
Revoke AWS credentials
linuxImmediately revoke the exposed AWS credentials in the AWS IAM console to prevent bucket access.
aws iam delete-access-key --user-name <username> --access-key-id <key-id>
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Immediately rotate all AWS credentials stored in the application and implement strict IAM policies limiting S3 bucket access.
- Monitor AWS CloudTrail logs for unauthorized access attempts to the affected S3 bucket and set up alerts.
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Extract the mobile application APK/IPA and search for AWS credentials (access keys, secret keys) in plain text using tools like strings, grep, or mobile security frameworks.Check Version:
Check application version in mobile device settings under 'Apps' or 'Application Manager'.Verify Fix Applied:
After updating, repeat the extraction process to confirm AWS credentials are no longer present in plain text within the application binary.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unusual access patterns in AWS CloudTrail logs for the S3 bucket, especially from unexpected IP addresses or user agents.
- Failed authentication attempts followed by successful access using the exposed credentials.
Network Indicators:
- Outbound connections from mobile devices to AWS S3 endpoints (s3.amazonaws.com) that are not part of normal application behavior.
- Large data transfers from S3 buckets to external IP addresses.
SIEM Query:
source="aws.cloudtrail" eventName="GetObject" OR eventName="ListObjects" bucketName="<affected-bucket>" | stats count by sourceIPAddress, userAgent