CVE-2002-0827 in OpenUnix
Summary
by MITRE
Vulnerability in pppd on UnixWare 7.1.1 and Open UNIX 8.0.0 allows local users to gain root privileges via (1) ppptalk or (2) ppp, a different vulnerability than CVE-2002-0824.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/25/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2002-0827 represents a critical privilege escalation flaw within the pppd daemon on UnixWare 7.1.1 and Open UNIX 8.0.0 operating systems. This security weakness specifically targets the Point-to-Point Protocol daemon implementation, which serves as a fundamental component for establishing network connections through serial lines and other point-to-point links. The vulnerability manifests in two distinct attack vectors that exploit different aspects of the pppd service configuration and operation, making it particularly concerning for system administrators managing these legacy unix environments.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through two primary methods involving the ppptalk and ppp commands that are part of the pppd package. These attack vectors leverage insufficient input validation and improper privilege handling within the pppd daemon itself, allowing local users who have access to the system to manipulate these commands in ways that result in privilege elevation to the root user level. The flaw stems from the daemon's failure to properly sanitize command-line arguments and environmental variables when processing ppp related operations, creating opportunities for malicious input to be interpreted with elevated privileges. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-20 category of "Improper Input Validation" and specifically relates to privilege escalation through command injection mechanisms.
The operational impact of CVE-2002-0827 extends beyond simple local privilege escalation, as it fundamentally compromises the security model of affected systems. Once a local user successfully exploits this vulnerability, they gain complete control over the system, enabling them to modify critical system files, install malicious software, create new user accounts, and potentially establish persistent backdoors. The vulnerability affects systems running UnixWare 7.1.1 and Open UNIX 8.0.0, which were popular enterprise operating systems during the early 2000s, making this issue particularly relevant for organizations maintaining legacy infrastructure. From an attacker's perspective, this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1068 for "Exploitation for Privilege Escalation" and represents a classic case of local privilege escalation through service misconfiguration.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2002-0827 should focus on immediate patching of the pppd daemon with vendor-supplied security updates or system upgrades to versions that address these privilege escalation issues. System administrators should also implement strict access controls and monitoring of ppp related commands, as well as review and tighten the permissions associated with the ppptalk and ppp utilities. Additional defensive measures include disabling unnecessary ppp services when not actively required, implementing proper user account management policies, and conducting regular security audits of system configurations. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of maintaining up-to-date security patches and proper system hardening practices, particularly for legacy systems that may not receive ongoing vendor support. Organizations should also consider implementing network segmentation and monitoring to detect unauthorized access attempts that might exploit similar privilege escalation vulnerabilities in their infrastructure.