United Airlines' Mobile Check-In System Exposed by Serious Security Flaw
United Airlines' mobile check-in system has recently been found vulnerable to a serious security flaw. This allowed potential attackers to exploit a weakness in the web API, using only a MileagePlus number to access personal details of active members.
The issue stemmed from the lack of brute force prevention controls in the web API. This meant that an attacker could use a simple web browser to repeatedly guess MileagePlus numbers, eventually finding valid ones. The system could distinguish valid numbers from invalid ones at any time, making this method feasible.
Contributing to this vulnerability was a common misconception among programmers. They often believe that server functionality can only be accessed through a mobile application, neglecting the possibility of web API exploitation. Many recent reports about mobile application vulnerabilities have indeed revealed server vulnerabilities, not application ones. In this case, the United Airlines mobile check-in function's weakness lay within the web application server, not the mobile application itself.
An attacker could enumerate active MileagePlus members and launch targeted attacks in 24-hour cycles to obtain personal details. United Airlines has since addressed this issue and fixed the vulnerability. However, the incident serves as a reminder of the importance of robust security measures, including brute force prevention controls, and the need to consider all potential attack vectors, not just those through mobile applications.
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