CVE-2002-1948 in Gringotts
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple buffer overflows in Gringotts 0.5.9 allows local users to execute arbitrary commands via unknown attack vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/06/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2002-1948 affects Gringotts version 0.5.9, a password management application designed to store and manage sensitive credentials. This critical security flaw manifests as multiple buffer overflows that occur within the application's memory handling mechanisms, creating exploitable conditions that can be leveraged by local attackers to gain unauthorized system access. The vulnerability's classification as a local privilege escalation issue indicates that attackers must already have access to the system but can then elevate their privileges to execute arbitrary code with higher permissions than initially available.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and memory management practices within the Gringotts application. Buffer overflows typically occur when more data is written to a fixed-length buffer than it can accommodate, causing adjacent memory locations to be overwritten. In this case, the specific attack vectors remain unspecified in the CVE description, suggesting that the vulnerability may be present in multiple code paths or functions within the application's codebase. These buffer overflow conditions can be exploited through carefully crafted inputs that cause the program to write beyond allocated memory boundaries, potentially corrupting critical program execution flow or data structures.
The operational impact of CVE-2002-1948 is significant for any system running Gringotts 0.5.9, as local users who can execute code within the application's environment can leverage this vulnerability to gain elevated privileges. This represents a serious threat to system integrity and confidentiality, as attackers can potentially execute arbitrary commands with the privileges of the Gringotts process or even higher system privileges. The vulnerability's local nature means that it cannot be exploited remotely over a network, but it does pose a substantial risk to systems where local access is possible, such as shared workstations or systems where users have legitimate access to the application.
From a cybersecurity perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, which describes stack-based buffer overflow conditions, and CWE-122, which covers heap-based buffer overflow scenarios. The attack surface for this vulnerability can be mapped to the ATT&CK framework's privilege escalation techniques, specifically the use of local exploits and command execution capabilities. Organizations should consider implementing immediate mitigation strategies including updating to a patched version of Gringotts, applying system hardening measures, and monitoring for suspicious local execution patterns. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper input validation and memory management practices in security-critical applications, particularly those handling sensitive credential information where the consequences of exploitation can be severe.