CVE-2001-0868 in Stronghold
Summary
by MITRE
Red Hat Stronghold 2.3 to 3.0 allows remote attackers to retrieve system information via an HTTP GET request to (1) stronghold-info or (2) stronghold-status.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/02/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2001-0868 affects Red Hat Stronghold versions 2.3 through 3.0, representing a critical information disclosure flaw that enables remote attackers to extract sensitive system data through simple HTTP GET requests. This vulnerability resides within the web server component of the Stronghold security suite, which was designed to provide secure web services and cryptographic capabilities for Red Hat Enterprise Linux systems. The flaw specifically manifests when the web server processes requests to two particular endpoints: stronghold-info and stronghold-status, which are intended for administrative monitoring purposes but are improperly protected against unauthorized access.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate access controls and authentication mechanisms within the Stronghold web server implementation. When an attacker sends an HTTP GET request to either stronghold-info or stronghold-status endpoints, the server responds with detailed system information including server configuration details, version information, and potentially sensitive operational data about the underlying system. This occurs because the web server does not properly validate or authenticate incoming requests to these endpoints, allowing any remote user to access the information without proper authorization. The vulnerability directly maps to CWE-200, which describes improper output neutralization for logs, and represents a classic case of insufficient access control where administrative functions are exposed to unauthenticated users.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information gathering, as the disclosed system information can serve as a foundation for more sophisticated attacks. Attackers can leverage the retrieved data to understand the target system's configuration, software versions, and operational parameters, which significantly reduces the effort required for subsequent exploitation attempts. This information disclosure vulnerability enables adversaries to conduct reconnaissance activities more effectively, potentially leading to privilege escalation, denial of service attacks, or further exploitation of related vulnerabilities within the system. The exposure of system information through these endpoints creates a pathway for attackers to build comprehensive profiles of target environments, making it easier to identify potential attack vectors and system weaknesses.
Organizations utilizing Red Hat Stronghold versions 2.3 through 3.0 should immediately implement mitigations to address this vulnerability, including restricting access to the affected endpoints through firewall rules, implementing proper authentication mechanisms, or upgrading to patched versions of the software. The recommended approach involves configuring access controls to ensure that only authorized administrative users can access the stronghold-info and stronghold-status endpoints, thereby preventing unauthorized information disclosure. Additionally, system administrators should consider implementing network segmentation and monitoring solutions to detect and alert on suspicious access patterns to these endpoints. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1083, which covers the discovery of system information, and represents a critical gap in the security posture that requires immediate remediation to prevent potential compromise of the affected systems.