CVE-2002-1594 in grpck
Summary
by MITRE
Buffer overflow in (1) grpck and (2) pwck, if installed setuid on a system as recommended in some AIX documentation, may allow local users to gain privileges via a long command line argument.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/17/2024
The vulnerability described in CVE-2002-1594 represents a critical buffer overflow flaw affecting system utilities grpck and pwck on AIX systems. These utilities are essential components of the operating system's user and group management infrastructure, designed to check the integrity of password and group files. When installed with setuid permissions as recommended in certain AIX documentation, these programs execute with elevated privileges, creating a significant security risk. The buffer overflow occurs specifically during command line argument processing, where the programs fail to properly validate input length before copying arguments into fixed-size buffers.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from improper input validation within the command line argument handling routines of grpck and pwck. When these utilities receive command line arguments that exceed the predetermined buffer size, the excess data overflows into adjacent memory locations, potentially corrupting program execution flow. This flaw directly maps to CWE-121, which describes stack-based buffer overflow conditions where insufficient bounds checking allows attackers to overwrite adjacent memory. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because these utilities are designed to run with root privileges due to their setuid nature, making any successful exploitation capable of escalating local user access to system administrator level privileges.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation, as it provides attackers with a reliable method to compromise system integrity and potentially gain persistent access. Attackers can craft malicious command line arguments that trigger the buffer overflow, potentially allowing them to execute arbitrary code within the privileged context of these utilities. This creates a vector for attackers to bypass normal access controls and gain unauthorized administrative access to the system. The vulnerability affects systems where these utilities are installed with setuid permissions, which is the standard configuration recommended for proper system administration functions. According to ATT&CK framework, this represents a privilege escalation technique under T1068, specifically targeting local privileges through flawed system utilities.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2002-1594 should focus on immediate remediation through system updates and patches provided by IBM for AIX systems. Organizations should ensure that grpck and pwck utilities are not installed with unnecessary setuid permissions, or implement proper input validation mechanisms to prevent buffer overflow conditions. The recommended approach includes applying the appropriate security patches, reviewing system configurations to minimize setuid permissions, and implementing monitoring for suspicious command line argument patterns. Additionally, system administrators should consider implementing input sanitization measures and regular security audits of setuid utilities to prevent similar vulnerabilities from being exploited. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper input validation in privileged system utilities and highlights the risks associated with maintaining unnecessary elevated permissions on core system tools.