CVE-2002-0356 in IRIX
Summary
by MITRE
Vulnerability in XFS filesystem reorganizer (fsr_xfs) in SGI IRIX 6.5.10 and earlier allows local users to gain root privileges by overwriting critical system files.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/18/2024
The vulnerability described in CVE-2002-0356 represents a critical privilege escalation flaw within the SGI IRIX operating system's XFS filesystem reorganizer utility. This vulnerability specifically affects SGI IRIX versions 6.5.10 and earlier, where the fsr_xfs command exhibits improper privilege handling during file system reorganization operations. The flaw allows local attackers who already possess user-level access to manipulate critical system files through the reorganizer utility, ultimately enabling them to escalate their privileges to the root level of the system. The vulnerability stems from inadequate access controls and file permission validation within the filesystem reorganization process, creating a path for malicious users to overwrite essential system components with maliciously crafted data.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the exploitation of the fsr_xfs utility's handling of file system metadata and directory structures during reorganization. When the reorganizer processes certain file operations, it fails to properly validate file permissions or verify the integrity of system-critical files before performing write operations. This weakness creates a race condition or permission bypass scenario where a local user can manipulate the reorganization process to overwrite files that should normally be protected from modification by non-root users. The flaw operates at the kernel level within the XFS filesystem implementation, making it particularly dangerous as it can be leveraged to modify core system files such as binaries, configuration files, or system libraries that are essential for maintaining system integrity and security.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability poses a severe threat to the security posture of any SGI IRIX system running affected versions. The local privilege escalation capability means that an attacker who gains initial access to a system through any means can immediately elevate their privileges to root level without requiring additional authentication or exploitation techniques. This makes the vulnerability particularly dangerous in multi-user environments where users may have legitimate access to the system but should not possess administrative privileges. The impact extends beyond simple privilege escalation as the attacker can then modify system files to establish persistent backdoors, disable security features, or completely compromise the integrity of the operating system. The vulnerability effectively undermines the fundamental security model of the system by allowing unauthorized modification of critical system components.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate system updates and patches provided by SGI to address the privilege escalation flaw in the fsr_xfs utility. Organizations should implement the latest security patches for SGI IRIX 6.5.10 and earlier versions to remediate the vulnerability. Additionally, system administrators should conduct thorough security audits to identify any potential exploitation attempts and monitor system logs for suspicious file modification activities. The implementation of mandatory access controls and enhanced file system monitoring can help detect unauthorized modifications to critical system files. Security hardening measures should include restricting access to the fsr_xfs utility, implementing proper file permission controls, and ensuring that only authorized administrators have the ability to execute filesystem reorganization operations. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-276, which addresses improper file permissions, and can be categorized under ATT&CK technique T1068, privilege escalation through local exploitation. Organizations should also consider implementing network segmentation and access control measures to limit the potential impact of such vulnerabilities across their infrastructure.