CVE-2002-2002 in Tru64
Summary
by MITRE
Buffer overflow in libc in Compaq Tru64 4.0F, 5.0, 5.1 and 5.1A allows attackers to execute arbitrary code via long (1) LANG and (2) LOCPATH environment variables.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/07/2024
The vulnerability described in CVE-2002-2002 represents a critical buffer overflow condition within the standard C library implementation of Compaq Tru64 Unix operating systems. This flaw specifically affects versions 4.0F, 5.0, 5.1, and 5.1A of the Tru64 operating system, where the libc library fails to properly validate the length of environment variables during processing. The vulnerability manifests when the system encounters unusually long values for the LANG and LOCPATH environment variables, which are commonly used to define locale settings and language preferences within Unix-like systems. The buffer overflow occurs during the parsing and handling of these environment variables, allowing malicious actors to overwrite adjacent memory locations with crafted input data.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, which describes buffer overflow conditions where insufficient bounds checking allows attackers to write beyond the allocated buffer space. In this specific case, the flaw operates at the system call level where environment variables are processed during program initialization or locale setting operations. When an attacker supplies a maliciously long string to either the LANG or LOCPATH environment variables, the system's libc implementation does not perform adequate bounds checking before copying the data into fixed-size buffers. This creates an exploitable condition where the overflow can be leveraged to overwrite critical program memory, including return addresses and function pointers, effectively allowing arbitrary code execution.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and potentially catastrophic for systems running affected Tru64 versions. Attackers can exploit this condition to gain unauthorized code execution privileges on the target system, potentially escalating to root access depending on the program context where the overflow occurs. Since many system services and applications rely on proper locale handling and environment variable processing, the attack surface extends beyond simple user-level exploitation to include system-level compromise. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it can be triggered through normal system operations without requiring special privileges, making it an attractive target for attackers seeking persistent access to sensitive systems. This type of vulnerability is categorized under the ATT&CK framework as a privilege escalation technique, specifically involving the exploitation of software vulnerabilities to gain elevated system access.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability involve multiple layers of defensive measures. The primary solution requires immediate patching or upgrading to unaffected versions of Compaq Tru64 Unix, as the vulnerability exists at the core system library level and cannot be effectively addressed through configuration changes alone. System administrators should implement strict environment variable validation at the application level, particularly when dealing with user-provided input that might be passed through to system calls. Additionally, implementing proper input sanitization and bounds checking in applications that process environment variables can help prevent exploitation even if the underlying system libraries remain vulnerable. Network segmentation and access control measures should be enforced to limit potential attack vectors, while monitoring systems should be configured to detect unusual environment variable usage patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. Organizations should also consider implementing runtime protection mechanisms such as stack canaries or address space layout randomization to make successful exploitation more difficult even when the underlying vulnerability exists.