CVE-2001-1148 in OpenServer
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple buffer overflows in programs used by scoadmin and sysadmsh in SCO OpenServer 5.0.6a and earlier allow local users to gain privileges via a long TERM environment variable to (1) atcronsh, (2) auditsh, (3) authsh, (4) backupsh, (5) lpsh, (6) sysadm.menu, or (7) termsh.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/30/2018
The vulnerability described in CVE-2001-1148 represents a critical buffer overflow issue affecting multiple administrative utilities within SCO OpenServer 5.0.6a and earlier versions. This flaw specifically targets programs that are part of the scoadmin and sysadmsh toolsets, which are essential components for system administration and configuration tasks. The vulnerability stems from improper input validation within these administrative scripts, creating exploitable conditions that can be leveraged by local attackers to escalate privileges. The affected programs include atcronsh, auditsh, authsh, backupsh, lpsh, sysadm.menu, and termsh, all of which are designed to handle user input through environment variables, particularly the TERM environment variable that is commonly used to determine terminal type and capabilities during system operations.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through manipulation of the TERM environment variable, which is passed to multiple administrative scripts without proper bounds checking or input sanitization. When a local user provides an excessively long TERM value, the buffer allocated for this variable becomes overflowed, potentially corrupting adjacent memory regions and allowing the attacker to overwrite critical program data structures or execution pointers. This type of vulnerability maps directly to CWE-121, which describes stack-based buffer overflow conditions, and CWE-122, which covers heap-based buffer overflows, depending on the specific memory allocation patterns used by these programs. The overflow can be particularly dangerous because these administrative utilities typically run with elevated privileges, making successful exploitation result in privilege escalation from regular user to root or administrative level access.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation, as it affects core system administration functionality and creates persistent security weaknesses within the SCO OpenServer environment. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to gain unauthorized access to sensitive system resources, modify critical configuration files, or install malicious software without proper authorization. The fact that multiple programs are affected increases the attack surface significantly, as an attacker only needs to identify one of these vulnerable utilities to achieve their goal. This vulnerability particularly impacts systems where local users have access to the command line or where administrative scripts are executed in contexts that allow environment variable manipulation. The exploitation requires minimal privileges to initiate but can result in complete system compromise, making it a highly attractive target for attackers seeking persistent access to enterprise environments.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2001-1148 should focus on immediate patching and system hardening measures. The primary recommendation involves applying the official SCO patches that address the buffer overflow conditions in the affected programs, which typically include implementing proper input validation and bounds checking for environment variables. System administrators should also consider implementing restrictive environment variable handling within the affected scripts, ensuring that input values are properly truncated or rejected if they exceed predetermined safe lengths. Additionally, the principle of least privilege should be enforced by limiting the execution of these administrative utilities to only authorized users and implementing proper access controls. Network segmentation and monitoring for unusual environment variable usage patterns can help detect potential exploitation attempts. This vulnerability demonstrates the importance of input validation in system administration tools and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1068, which covers local privilege escalation through exploitation of system vulnerabilities. Organizations should also consider implementing automated patch management processes to prevent similar issues from arising in other system components, as the presence of such vulnerabilities often indicates broader security gaps in software development practices.