CVE-2001-1058 in Mathematica
Summary
by MITRE
The License Manager (mathlm) for Mathematica 4.0 and 4.1 allows remote attackers to bypass access control (specified by the -restrict argument) and steal a license via a client request that includes the name of a host that is allowed to obtain the license.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/06/2018
The vulnerability described in CVE-2001-1058 represents a critical access control bypass in the Mathematica 4.0 and 4.1 License Manager component known as mathlm. This issue fundamentally undermines the security model designed to protect software licensing by allowing unauthorized remote access to restricted computational resources. The vulnerability specifically targets the license management system that controls how mathematical computing software is distributed and accessed across networked environments.
The technical flaw manifests through a design weakness in how the mathlm component processes client requests for software licenses. When a client application attempts to obtain a license, it sends a request that includes host identification information. The vulnerability occurs because the license manager fails to properly validate or authenticate these host names against the access restrictions specified by the -restrict argument. This allows malicious actors to craft client requests that include host names permitted to obtain licenses, effectively bypassing the intended access controls and gaining unauthorized access to the software licensing system.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access to encompass potential license theft and resource exhaustion. Attackers can exploit this flaw to consume legitimate software licenses without proper authorization, potentially leading to denial of service for authorized users while simultaneously enabling unauthorized usage of expensive computational software. The vulnerability affects organizations that rely on networked software licensing and could result in significant financial loss through unauthorized software usage and potential violation of licensing agreements.
This vulnerability maps to CWE-284 (Improper Access Control) and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078 (Valid Accounts) as it exploits legitimate access mechanisms to gain unauthorized privileges. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including updating to patched versions of Mathematica, implementing network segmentation to isolate license management systems, and monitoring for unauthorized host name patterns in license requests. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of proper input validation and authentication mechanisms in networked software licensing systems, emphasizing the need for robust access control implementations that prevent privilege escalation through manipulated client requests.