CVE-2001-0891 in UNICOS
Summary
by MITRE
Format string vulnerability in NQS daemon (nqsdaemon) in NQE 3.3.0.16 for CRAY UNICOS and SGI IRIX allows a local user to gain root privileges by using qsub to submit a batch job whose name contains formatting characters.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/11/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2001-0891 represents a critical format string flaw within the NQS daemon component of NQE 3.3.0.16 software suite, which operates on CRAY UNICOS and SGI IRIX operating systems. This vulnerability exists in the batch job submission process where the qsub command fails to properly sanitize user-provided job names before passing them to printf-style functions within the nqsdaemon process. The flaw manifests when a local user crafts a malicious job name containing format specifiers such as %s, %d, or %x, which are then interpreted by the daemon during log generation or output processing, leading to unintended memory access patterns.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability stems from the daemon's improper handling of user input in a manner consistent with CWE-134, which specifically addresses format string vulnerabilities where format strings are constructed from user-controlled data. When the nqsdaemon processes a job name containing format specifiers, it directly passes this unvalidated input to functions like printf or sprintf without proper validation or sanitization. This creates opportunities for attackers to read arbitrary memory locations, overwrite critical memory regions, or even execute arbitrary code with elevated privileges. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it operates within the context of the NQS daemon, which typically runs with elevated privileges to manage batch job scheduling and system resources.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation as it allows a local attacker to achieve complete system compromise through a relatively simple attack vector. Since the vulnerability requires only local access to submit malicious batch jobs, it can be exploited by any user with access to the system, making it particularly concerning in multi-user environments. The attack chain involves submitting a specially crafted job name through qsub, which then gets processed by the vulnerable nqsdaemon, leading to privilege escalation to root level. This type of vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1068, which covers 'Exploitation for Privilege Escalation' and demonstrates how local privilege escalation vulnerabilities can be leveraged to gain complete system control.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on immediate patching of the NQE software to address the format string handling issue in the nqsdaemon component. System administrators should implement proper input validation and sanitization measures to ensure that user-provided job names are properly escaped or filtered before being processed by any system components. Additionally, privilege separation mechanisms should be enforced to limit the capabilities of the nqsdaemon process, ensuring that even if exploitation occurs, the attacker's access remains restricted. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of secure coding practices and regular security assessments of system components, particularly those handling user input in critical system processes. Organizations should also consider implementing monitoring solutions to detect anomalous job submission patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts.