CVE-2002-0526 in INN
Summary
by MITRE
Vulnerability in (1) inews or (2) rnews for INN 2.2.3 and earlier, related to insecure open() calls.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/08/2018
The vulnerability described in CVE-2002-0526 affects the inews and rnews utilities within the INN (InterNetNews) software version 2.2.3 and earlier. These tools are fundamental components of the news server software used for processing and distributing Usenet news articles across networks. The flaw stems from insecure implementation of the open() system call within these utilities, creating potential security risks for systems running affected versions of the INN software stack.
The technical nature of this vulnerability involves improper handling of file operations through insecure open() calls that do not adequately validate or sanitize input parameters. When inews or rnews processes incoming news articles, they may inadvertently create or open files using predictable naming patterns or insufficient access controls. This insecure behavior allows malicious actors to exploit the system by manipulating input data to cause the utilities to open unintended files or directories, potentially leading to unauthorized access, privilege escalation, or denial of service conditions. The vulnerability specifically relates to CWE-242, which addresses the use of potentially insecure functions in software development.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents significant risks to news server administrators and network operators who rely on INN for managing news distribution services. Attackers could potentially exploit this weakness to gain unauthorized access to system resources, manipulate news articles, or disrupt the normal operation of news servers. The impact extends beyond simple data corruption as the insecure file handling could allow for privilege escalation attacks, particularly when the utilities run with elevated privileges during news processing operations. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1068, which covers the exploitation of legitimate credentials and system access for privilege escalation.
The exploitation of CVE-2002-0526 typically requires an attacker to have access to the news server's input mechanisms, such as through legitimate news posting or receiving channels. However, the vulnerability's impact is amplified because news servers often run with elevated privileges to handle the processing of incoming articles. System administrators should consider implementing proper file access controls, input validation, and privilege separation mechanisms to mitigate this risk. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of following secure coding practices and avoiding the use of insecure system calls that could lead to predictable file operations. Regular security audits of legacy news server software and timely application of security patches remain crucial defensive measures against such exploitation vectors. Organizations using older versions of INN should prioritize upgrading to patched versions or implementing compensating controls to address the insecure open() call implementations that make this vulnerability possible.