CVE-2000-0893 in IRIX
Summary
by MITRE
The presence of the Distributed GL Daemon (dgld) service on port 5232 on SGI IRIX systems allows remote attackers to identify the target host as an SGI system.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/09/2024
The vulnerability described in CVE-2000-0893 relates to the Distributed GL Daemon service running on SGI IRIX systems, which operates on TCP port 5232. This service, while designed to provide distributed graphics capabilities, inadvertently exposes system identification information to remote attackers. The flaw represents a significant information disclosure vulnerability that violates fundamental security principles of system hardening and network security posture management. When an attacker probes this specific port, they can identify that the target system is running SGI IRIX operating system, which provides crucial reconnaissance information for potential exploitation attempts.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from the service's design philosophy that prioritizes functionality over security considerations. The dgld service responds to connection attempts with identifying information that reveals the underlying operating system platform, effectively performing banner grabbing without proper security controls. This behavior aligns with CWE-200, which addresses information exposure through improper system identification, and represents a classic example of how legacy services can introduce security weaknesses. The service essentially provides an easy method for attackers to fingerprint the target system, eliminating the need for more complex reconnaissance techniques.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability significantly weakens the security posture of affected SGI IRIX systems by enabling automated reconnaissance tools to quickly identify vulnerable targets. Attackers can leverage this information to tailor subsequent attacks specifically against SGI IRIX systems, potentially exploiting known vulnerabilities specific to that platform. The exposure of system identification information also violates the principle of least disclosure, where systems should minimize information provided to unauthorized parties. This vulnerability directly impacts the CIA triad by compromising confidentiality through information disclosure, and can be categorized under ATT&CK technique T1018 for system discovery and T1046 for network service scanning.
The recommended mitigations for this vulnerability include disabling the dgld service if it is not required for operations, implementing proper network segmentation to limit access to port 5232, and applying appropriate firewall rules to restrict access to authorized administrative hosts only. System administrators should also consider upgrading to more recent versions of IRIX that may have addressed this issue or implementing network monitoring to detect unauthorized probing of this specific port. Additionally, organizations should conduct comprehensive network assessments to identify all services running on non-standard ports and ensure that information disclosure is minimized through proper service configuration and network hardening practices. The vulnerability highlights the importance of regular security audits and the need to disable unnecessary services that may introduce information disclosure risks to the overall network infrastructure.