CVE-2000-0514 in Kerberos
Summary
by MITRE
GSSFTP FTP daemon in Kerberos 5 1.1.x does not properly restrict access to some FTP commands, which allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service, and local users to gain root privileges.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/26/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2000-0514 affects the GSSFTP FTP daemon component within Kerberos 5 version 1.1.x implementations. This flaw represents a critical security weakness that manifests through improper access controls for FTP commands, creating both remote denial of service capabilities and local privilege escalation opportunities. The issue stems from inadequate validation mechanisms within the authentication and authorization framework of the GSSFTP service, which fails to properly enforce command restrictions that should normally prevent unauthorized access to sensitive operations.
This technical vulnerability operates at the protocol level where the GSSFTP daemon processes incoming FTP commands without sufficient validation of user privileges or command legitimacy. The flaw allows attackers to submit specially crafted commands that bypass normal access controls, potentially enabling execution of commands that should only be available to privileged users. The implementation does not properly validate command parameters or user credentials against established security policies, creating pathways for exploitation that can result in system compromise.
The operational impact of CVE-2000-0514 extends beyond simple service disruption to encompass complete system compromise. Remote attackers can leverage this vulnerability to initiate denial of service attacks against the FTP service, rendering it unavailable to legitimate users while potentially causing system instability. More critically, local users can exploit the flaw to escalate their privileges to root level access, effectively granting them complete control over the affected system. This privilege escalation capability makes the vulnerability particularly dangerous in multi-user environments where local access is possible.
From a cybersecurity perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-264, which addresses permissions, privileges, and access controls, and demonstrates characteristics consistent with ATT&CK technique T1068, which involves exploiting local privileges to escalate access. The vulnerability represents a classic case of insufficient input validation combined with inadequate access control enforcement, creating a pathway for both service disruption and system compromise. Organizations running affected Kerberos 5 implementations face significant risk of unauthorized access and potential complete system takeover.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2000-0514 require immediate attention through patch management and configuration hardening. System administrators should upgrade to patched versions of Kerberos 5 that address the access control flaws in the GSSFTP daemon implementation. Additionally, implementing network segmentation and limiting local user access can reduce the attack surface. Security monitoring should focus on detecting unauthorized FTP command execution patterns, while regular vulnerability assessments should verify that all Kerberos implementations properly enforce access controls. The remediation process must include comprehensive testing to ensure that patched implementations maintain proper functionality while eliminating the privilege escalation pathways.