CVE-2002-1616 in Tru64
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple buffer overflows in HP Tru64 UNIX 5.1a, 5.1, 5.0a, 4.0g, and 4.0f allow local users to gain root privileges via (1) su, (2) chsh, (3) passwd, (4) chfn, (5) dxchpwd, and (6) libc.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/18/2024
The vulnerability described in CVE-2002-1616 represents a critical security flaw affecting multiple versions of HP Tru64 UNIX operating systems including versions 5.1a, 5.1, 5.0a, 4.0g, and 4.0f. This issue manifests as multiple buffer overflows that can be exploited by local users to escalate their privileges to the root level, fundamentally compromising system security. The affected components span across essential system utilities and the core libc library, making this vulnerability particularly dangerous as it targets fundamental system functions that are regularly accessed during normal operations.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves buffer overflow conditions within the mentioned system utilities and the standard C library. When local users execute commands through su, chsh, passwd, chfn, dxchpwd, or interact with the libc library, the programs fail to properly validate input lengths, allowing attackers to write beyond allocated memory boundaries. This memory corruption can be carefully crafted to overwrite critical program variables, return addresses, or function pointers, enabling arbitrary code execution with elevated privileges. The vulnerability specifically leverages the lack of proper bounds checking in these system components, creating predictable memory layout exploitations that can be reliably reproduced.
The operational impact of CVE-2002-1616 is severe and far-reaching for any organization running affected HP Tru64 UNIX systems. Local users who can access these systems gain the ability to elevate their privileges to root level, which provides complete control over the affected machines. This includes access to all system files, user accounts, network resources, and the ability to install malicious software or establish persistent backdoors. The vulnerability affects core system functions that are essential for user management and system administration, meaning that any legitimate user who can execute these commands becomes a potential vector for privilege escalation attacks. The impact extends beyond individual systems to potentially compromise entire network infrastructures where these systems operate.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should immediately implement comprehensive mitigation strategies to protect their systems. The primary recommendation involves applying the official security patches released by HP to address these buffer overflow conditions in the affected utilities and libc library. System administrators should also consider implementing additional security measures such as restricting access to these privileged utilities, monitoring for suspicious usage patterns, and conducting thorough security audits of system configurations. From a cybersecurity perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, which describes stack-based buffer overflow conditions, and represents a classic example of privilege escalation techniques that fall under ATT&CK tactic TA0004 (Privilege Escalation). The vulnerability demonstrates how seemingly routine system utilities can become attack vectors when proper input validation is absent, emphasizing the critical importance of secure coding practices and regular security assessments in system development and maintenance processes.