CVE-2001-0102 in Mac OS
Summary
by MITRE
"Multiple Users" Control Panel in Mac OS 9 allows Normal users to gain Owner privileges by removing the Users & Groups Data File, which effectively removes the Owner password and allows the Normal user to log in as the Owner account without a password.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/07/2019
This vulnerability exists in the Mac OS 9 operating system's Users and Groups control panel implementation where normal user accounts can escalate their privileges to owner level through a specific file manipulation technique. The flaw stems from insufficient access controls and privilege validation mechanisms within the system's user management framework. When a normal user removes the Users & Groups Data File, the system loses its ability to authenticate the owner account properly, effectively bypassing the password protection mechanism that should normally prevent unauthorized access to administrative privileges.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-284 Access Control Bypass, where the system fails to properly enforce access restrictions that should prevent normal users from gaining elevated privileges. The vulnerability represents a classic case of inadequate privilege separation where the control panel does not validate whether the current user has proper authorization to modify critical system files that control user authentication. This flaw operates at the system level rather than application level, making it particularly dangerous as it affects the fundamental security model of the operating system's user management system.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant as it allows any normal user to completely bypass the system's security model and gain full administrative access without requiring any legitimate authentication credentials. This creates a persistent backdoor that remains active until the system is rebooted or the Users & Groups Data File is manually restored by an authorized administrator. The vulnerability essentially undermines the entire user privilege model of Mac OS 9, transforming a multi-user system into one where any user can assume full ownership of the system resources and potentially access all files, applications, and system configurations that should normally be restricted to administrators.
This vulnerability demonstrates a critical flaw in the system's security architecture where file-level access controls are insufficient to protect critical system data. The attack vector is simple and reliable, requiring only basic file manipulation skills to exploit. From an adversarial perspective, this vulnerability fits within the ATT&CK technique T1068 Privilege Escalation, where an attacker can leverage a system flaw to gain higher privileges. The vulnerability also relates to T1548.001 Account Manipulation where the attacker can modify user account properties to gain unauthorized access. Organizations using Mac OS 9 systems would be particularly vulnerable to this attack as it requires no specialized tools or knowledge beyond basic system navigation, making it accessible to both malicious actors and unauthorized users with minimal technical expertise.
The recommended mitigation strategies include immediate implementation of system updates or patches from Apple if available, as well as manual restoration of the Users & Groups Data File if the system has been compromised. System administrators should also consider implementing additional access controls and monitoring mechanisms to detect unauthorized file modifications. The vulnerability highlights the importance of proper privilege separation and access control validation in system design, emphasizing that critical system files should be protected through multiple layers of security including file permissions, access logging, and authentication validation mechanisms. Additionally, organizations should consider migrating from unsupported operating systems to more secure modern platforms that have robust privilege management and access control features.