CNN iPhone App Sends iReporters' Passwords In the Clear

chicksdaddy (814965) writes The Security Ledger reports on newly published research from the firm zScaler that reveals CNN's iPhone application transmits user login session information in clear text. The security flaw could leave users of the application vulnerable to having their login credential snooped by malicious actors on the same network or connected to the same insecure wifi hotspot. That's particularly bad news if you're one of CNN's iReporters — citizen journalists — who use the app to upload photos, video and other text as they report on breaking news events. According to a zScaler analysis, CNN's app for iPhone exposes user credentials in the clear both during initial setup of the account and in subsequent mobile sessions. The iPad version of the CNN app is not affected, nor is the CNN mobile application for Android. A spokesman for CNN said the company had a fix ready and was working with Apple to have it approved and released to the iTunes AppStore.

Re:Waiting....

[stephenmac7]

Those "vetting eyeballs" seem to be incompetent if they let through an app sending passwords in plain text. They're probably just making sure you're not making a web browser (without webkit) app or something else Apple doesn't like.

Incompetent developers?

[QuietLagoon]

Did CNN hire the most incompetent developers in the world to write this app?

.
Instead of talking about "malicious actors", the article should be talking about malicious developers.

Re:No excuse

[Joe Gillian]

It's still happening because everyone and their mother wants the ability to have exclusive ads and information gathering on people's mobile devices. This is why you see very few robust mobile websites, because it's more profitable to collect and sell user data gathered via a mobile app (as well as serving ads).