CVE-1999-1208 in AIX
Summary
by MITRE
buffer overflow in ping in aix 4.2 and earlier allows local users to gain root privileges via a long command line argument.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/05/2024
The vulnerability described in CVE-1999-1208 represents a classic buffer overflow flaw affecting the ping utility in AIX 4.2 and earlier versions. This issue stems from inadequate input validation within the command line argument processing of the ping program, which fails to properly check the length of user-provided arguments before copying them into fixed-size buffers. The flaw exists at the system level where the ping utility executes with elevated privileges, making it particularly dangerous for local attackers who can exploit this weakness to escalate their privileges to root level access. Buffer overflow vulnerabilities of this nature fall under the CWE-121 category of stack-based buffer overflow, where insufficient bounds checking allows attackers to overwrite adjacent memory locations including return addresses and control data.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation as it provides local attackers with complete system control through the exploitation of the ping utility's command line argument handling. When a user passes an excessively long argument to ping, the program fails to validate the input length, causing data to overflow into adjacent memory regions. This overflow can overwrite the program's stack frame, potentially allowing an attacker to inject and execute malicious code with root privileges. The vulnerability is particularly concerning in environments where users have access to the ping command but lack root privileges, as it creates a direct path to system compromise through local privilege escalation techniques. According to ATT&CK framework, this represents a privilege escalation technique categorized under T1068, where adversaries leverage weaknesses in system utilities to gain elevated access rights.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability requires careful crafting of command line arguments that exceed the buffer size allocated for argument processing in the ping utility. Attackers typically construct malicious input strings that overwrite the stack frame's return address or other critical control structures, redirecting program execution flow to malicious code. The vulnerability affects systems running AIX 4.2 and earlier versions where the ping utility implementation does not perform adequate bounds checking on command line arguments. Mitigation strategies include applying vendor patches that introduce proper input validation and buffer length checking, implementing system hardening measures that restrict access to privileged utilities, and employing runtime protections such as stack canaries or address space layout randomization. System administrators should also consider implementing privilege separation mechanisms and monitoring for unusual ping command usage patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of input validation in system utilities and highlights how seemingly benign command line argument processing can create significant security risks when proper bounds checking is omitted.