CVE-2001-1565 in Mac OS X
Summary
by MITRE
Point to Point Protocol daemon (pppd) in MacOS x 10.0 and 10.1 through 10.1.5 provides the username and password on the command line, which allows local users to obtain authentication information via the ps command.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/16/2024
The vulnerability described in CVE-2001-1565 represents a critical security flaw in the Point to Point Protocol daemon implementation within macOS versions 10.0 through 10.1.5. This issue stems from the insecure handling of authentication credentials during the PPP connection establishment process, creating an exploitable condition that directly compromises system security. The flaw specifically affects the pppd daemon which manages point-to-point connections and is integral to dial-up networking and broadband connections on these operating systems. The vulnerability manifests when the daemon receives username and password credentials through command line arguments rather than through secure credential handling mechanisms.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability lies in the improper command line argument processing within the pppd daemon implementation. When users establish point-to-point connections, the daemon accepts authentication credentials as command line parameters, which are then visible to all processes on the system through standard process enumeration tools. This design flaw violates fundamental security principles regarding credential handling and exposes sensitive authentication information to unauthorized local users who can access process information via the ps command. The command line arguments containing usernames and passwords become part of the process environment, making them accessible through process inspection utilities that display running process information.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant and directly affects system integrity and confidentiality. Local attackers with basic user privileges can easily extract authentication credentials by executing simple commands like ps -ef or ps aux, which display all running processes including their command line arguments. This exposure enables attackers to obtain valid usernames and passwords that can be used for unauthorized access to network resources, potentially leading to privilege escalation or lateral movement within network environments. The vulnerability essentially provides a trivial attack vector that undermines the security of all point-to-point connections established through the affected macOS versions, making it particularly dangerous in multi-user environments where local access is possible.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-255, which addresses credential handling issues in software applications, and demonstrates a classic example of insecure command line argument handling. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this issue maps to T1003.001 (Credential Dumping) and T1059.001 (Command and Scripting Interpreter) as it enables adversaries to extract credentials through process enumeration techniques. The vulnerability also relates to T1566 (Phishing for Information) in that it provides attackers with a method to obtain authentication information without requiring sophisticated social engineering or network-based attacks. Organizations should consider this vulnerability as part of their broader security posture assessment, particularly in environments where local privilege escalation risks exist or where point-to-point connections are frequently used for network access.
The recommended mitigation strategies include immediate upgrading to macOS versions that address this vulnerability, typically those beyond 10.1.5, and implementing proper credential handling mechanisms that do not expose authentication information through command line arguments. System administrators should also monitor process listings for unauthorized access attempts and consider implementing additional access controls to limit local user privileges. The long-term solution involves redesigning the pppd daemon to use secure credential handling techniques such as environment variable management, temporary credential files with restricted permissions, or secure input methods that do not expose sensitive information through process enumeration tools. Organizations should also implement network monitoring to detect unusual authentication patterns that might indicate credential compromise through this or similar vulnerabilities.