CVE-2001-1182 in HP-UX
Summary
by MITRE
Vulnerability in login in HP-UX 11.00, 11.11, and 10.20 allows restricted shell users to bypass certain security checks and gain privileges.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/25/2021
The vulnerability described in CVE-2001-1182 represents a critical privilege escalation flaw within the HP-UX operating system's login mechanism across versions 10.20, 11.00, and 11.11. This security weakness specifically targets restricted shell environments where users are intended to operate with limited command capabilities and system access. The flaw enables malicious actors or authorized users within restricted shell contexts to circumvent the intended security controls that should prevent them from executing privileged operations or accessing restricted system resources. Such vulnerabilities are particularly dangerous because they undermine the fundamental security model of restricted user environments that are designed to contain potential damage from compromised accounts or insider threats.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from improper validation of shell environment variables and command execution paths during the login process. When users authenticate through the restricted shell, the system fails to properly sanitize or validate the environment variables that determine the user's execution context and available commands. This weakness allows attackers to manipulate the shell startup process by injecting malicious environment variables or command sequences that bypass the normal restrictions imposed on restricted shell users. The flaw typically manifests when the login program does not adequately check the integrity of environment variables or when it fails to properly isolate the user's execution environment from potentially compromised input sources. This type of vulnerability aligns with CWE-22, which describes improper limitation of a pathname to a restricted directory, and CWE-78, which covers improper neutralization of special elements used in OS commands.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends far beyond simple privilege escalation, as it fundamentally compromises the security posture of systems running affected HP-UX versions. Restricted shell environments are commonly used for user accounts that require access to system resources without full administrative privileges, such as ftp accounts, application-specific user accounts, or user accounts with limited system access. When an attacker can bypass these restrictions, they gain access to system commands, files, and resources that should remain protected from unauthorized access. This can lead to complete system compromise, data exfiltration, or the ability to establish persistent access through the exploitation of other system vulnerabilities. The vulnerability also affects the principle of least privilege, which is a core tenet of security architecture and is referenced in various security frameworks including the NIST Cybersecurity Framework and ISO 27001 standards.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2001-1182 should focus on immediate system patching and configuration hardening measures. System administrators must apply the official HP-UX patches released by Hewlett Packard to address the specific login mechanism flaw. Additionally, organizations should implement enhanced monitoring of restricted shell usage and establish strict controls over environment variable handling in shell contexts. The mitigation approach should include regular auditing of user accounts and their access privileges, implementation of mandatory access controls, and the use of security tools that can detect anomalous environment variable modifications. Security practitioners should also consider implementing the principle of least privilege more rigorously by ensuring that restricted shell users have minimal necessary permissions and that the login process properly validates all execution contexts. This vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input validation and environment sanitization in authentication mechanisms, aligning with ATT&CK technique T1068 which covers privilege escalation through local exploitation and T1548.2 which covers abuse of sudo or similar privilege escalation tools. Organizations should also consider implementing additional security controls such as privileged access management solutions and regular security assessments to prevent similar vulnerabilities from being exploited in other system components.