CVE-2000-0313 in OpenBSD
Summary
by MITRE
Vulnerability in OpenBSD 2.6 allows a local user to change interface media configurations.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/29/2018
The vulnerability described in CVE-2000-0313 represents a significant security flaw within the OpenBSD 2.6 operating system that specifically targets network interface management functionality. This issue enables a local attacker with minimal privileges to manipulate network interface media configurations, potentially compromising system network integrity and availability. The vulnerability stems from insufficient access controls and validation mechanisms within the network interface configuration subsystem, allowing unauthorized modification of critical network parameters that govern how network hardware communicates with the operating system.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs within the kernel-level network interface management code where proper privilege checking mechanisms fail to validate user intentions when modifying media configuration parameters. When a local user executes specific commands or system calls designed to alter network interface media types, the system does not adequately verify whether the requesting user possesses the necessary administrative privileges to perform such operations. This lack of proper access control validation creates an exploitable condition where any authenticated user can manipulate network interface settings, potentially leading to network disruption, unauthorized access points, or redirection of network traffic.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents a serious risk to network infrastructure security as it allows local users to compromise network interface configurations without requiring elevated privileges typically associated with network administration tasks. The impact extends beyond simple configuration changes, as malicious users could potentially disable network interfaces, switch interfaces to incompatible media types, or configure interfaces in ways that disrupt network connectivity for other users or services. This vulnerability particularly affects systems where multiple users share administrative access or where user accounts have been compromised, as the local privilege escalation aspect allows attackers to gain unauthorized control over network operations that should be restricted to system administrators.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-276, which addresses improper privileges and access control issues in software systems, specifically targeting the improper handling of access control for network interface management functions. From an adversarial perspective, this vulnerability maps to several ATT&CK techniques including privilege escalation through local system access and network configuration modification. The attack vector requires local access to the system, making it particularly concerning for multi-user environments where system integrity depends on proper access controls. Organizations should consider this vulnerability as part of their broader security posture assessment, particularly in environments where network interface management is critical to system operations or where the potential for local privilege escalation could be leveraged for more extensive attacks.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on immediate system updates to patched versions of OpenBSD 2.6, as well as implementing proper access control policies that restrict network interface management operations to authorized administrative users only. System administrators should conduct comprehensive audits of network interface configurations and monitor for unauthorized changes to network parameters. Additional defensive measures include implementing mandatory access controls, restricting local user accounts from executing network configuration commands, and deploying network monitoring tools to detect anomalous network interface behavior that could indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper privilege separation in network management functions and highlights the need for comprehensive security testing of kernel-level network subsystems to prevent unauthorized access to critical system configuration parameters.