CVE-2003-0175 in IRIX
Summary
by MITRE
SGI IRIX before 6.5.21 allows local users to cause a denial of service (kernel panic) via a certain call to the PIOCSWATCH ioctl.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/18/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2003-0175 affects SGI IRIX operating systems prior to version 6.5.21 and represents a significant kernel-level flaw that can be exploited to trigger system-wide denial of service conditions. This issue resides within the kernel's handling of the PIOCSWATCH ioctl system call, which is typically used for controlling performance monitoring and debugging features within the operating system. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and error handling within the kernel's ioctl processing code, specifically when processing certain parameters associated with the PIOCSWATCH command. Local attackers with access to the system can exploit this weakness by crafting malicious ioctl calls that cause the kernel to enter an unrecoverable state, resulting in immediate system crash and kernel panic conditions.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the manipulation of kernel memory structures through improper validation of ioctl parameters. When the PIOCSWATCH ioctl is invoked with specific malformed or out-of-range parameters, the kernel's internal state management fails to properly handle the input, leading to memory corruption or invalid memory access patterns that ultimately result in kernel panic. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-121 category of stack-based buffer overflow conditions, though it manifests differently in kernel space where the attack surface involves direct manipulation of kernel data structures rather than user-space buffers. The vulnerability represents a classic example of insufficient validation of user-supplied data within kernel-level system calls, where the lack of proper bounds checking and parameter validation creates exploitable conditions that can be leveraged for system disruption.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability poses a severe threat to system availability and reliability within SGI IRIX environments, particularly in mission-critical applications where system uptime is essential. The local nature of the exploit means that any user with access to the system can potentially trigger the denial of service condition, making it particularly dangerous in multi-user environments where privilege escalation might be possible. The kernel panic resulting from exploitation typically requires system reboot to restore normal operation, potentially causing data loss and service interruption for applications relying on the affected system. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.004 which covers network denial of service attacks, though in this case the attack vector is local and targets kernel stability rather than network infrastructure. The impact extends beyond simple service disruption as kernel panics can also lead to data corruption in memory-mapped files and other kernel-managed resources.
The recommended mitigation strategy for CVE-2003-0175 involves immediate deployment of the vendor-provided security patch that addresses the ioctl parameter validation issue within the SGI IRIX kernel. System administrators should prioritize upgrading to IRIX version 6.5.21 or later, which includes proper input validation and error handling for the PIOCSWATCH ioctl call. Additionally, implementing proper access controls and privilege management can help limit potential exploitation by restricting local user access to system-critical functionality. Network segmentation and monitoring should be employed to detect anomalous ioctl activity that might indicate attempted exploitation. Organizations should also consider implementing kernel module integrity checking mechanisms and regular system audits to identify potential unauthorized modifications that might exacerbate the vulnerability. The patch implementation should be thoroughly tested in non-production environments to ensure compatibility with existing applications that might rely on the PIOCSWATCH functionality, though the security benefits of patching far outweigh the potential compatibility issues.