CVE-2002-0443 in Windows
Summary
by MITRE
Microsoft Windows 2000 allows local users to bypass the policy that prohibits reusing old passwords by changing the current password before it expires, which does not enable the check for previous passwords.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/18/2024
This vulnerability exists in Microsoft Windows 2000 operating systems where the password policy enforcement mechanism fails to properly validate password reuse restrictions. The flaw occurs when users attempt to change their current password before its expiration date, bypassing the system's requirement to prevent reuse of previously used passwords. This represents a critical weakness in the authentication system's password history enforcement capabilities, allowing unauthorized users to circumvent security controls designed to maintain password entropy and prevent predictable password patterns.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from how Windows 2000 handles password change operations within the security subsystem. When a user initiates a password change before the current password expires, the system fails to perform the necessary validation against the password history database that should prevent reuse of previously established credentials. This behavior violates the fundamental security principle of password rotation enforcement and creates a persistent weakness in the authentication framework. The flaw operates at the credential management level and specifically affects the Windows 2000 security policy enforcement mechanisms, making it a direct violation of proper access control implementation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple password policy bypass. Attackers can exploit this weakness to maintain persistent access to systems by cycling through password reuse patterns without triggering the security controls designed to prevent such behavior. This vulnerability directly enables credential stuffing attacks and password reuse attacks where attackers can systematically test previously compromised passwords against accounts. The implications are particularly severe in enterprise environments where password complexity and rotation policies are critical security controls, potentially allowing attackers to maintain access for extended periods while avoiding detection mechanisms that rely on password history enforcement.
Security professionals should implement immediate mitigations including enhanced monitoring of password change events and implementation of additional access control measures beyond the default Windows 2000 policies. Organizations should consider deploying third-party password management solutions that can enforce stronger password policies regardless of operating system limitations. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper security policy implementation and highlights the risks associated with legacy systems that may not fully support modern security requirements. This issue aligns with CWE-307 and ATT&CK techniques related to privilege escalation and credential access, emphasizing the need for comprehensive security controls that go beyond basic operating system protections.
Organizations should also consider implementing additional authentication layers such as multi-factor authentication to mitigate the risks associated with password-based attacks. The vulnerability underscores the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date security policies and the necessity of regular security assessments to identify and remediate similar weaknesses in authentication systems. Proper implementation of password history enforcement and regular security audits can prevent exploitation of this type of vulnerability while maintaining system usability and security effectiveness.