CVE-2003-0420 in Mac OS X Server
Summary
by MITRE
Information leak in dsimportexport for Apple Macintosh OS X Server 10.2.6 allows local users to obtain the username and password of the account running the tool.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/04/2019
The vulnerability described in CVE-2003-0420 represents a critical information disclosure flaw within the dsimportexport utility of Apple Macintosh OS X Server 10.2.6. This issue specifically affects the directory services import and export functionality that administrators use to manage user accounts and directory information within the operating system. The vulnerability stems from improper handling of sensitive authentication data during the execution of directory service operations, creating an unintended information leak that compromises the security of the system's authentication mechanisms. The dsimportexport tool, which serves as a command-line interface for importing and exporting directory service data, fails to properly sanitize or secure authentication credentials during its operational lifecycle.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the tool's failure to properly isolate or secure authentication parameters when processing directory service operations. When the dsimportexport utility executes with elevated privileges to perform directory modifications, it inadvertently exposes the credentials of the account under which it operates. This occurs through memory exposure techniques where authentication tokens or credential information remains accessible in memory or through process inspection mechanisms. The flaw essentially allows local users to exploit the tool's operational context to extract sensitive authentication information, effectively undermining the principle of least privilege and creating potential attack vectors for privilege escalation. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-200, which describes improper information disclosure vulnerabilities where sensitive data is exposed to unauthorized parties. The underlying technical mechanism involves the tool's insufficient access control measures and inadequate credential management during privileged operations, creating an information flow that violates standard security boundaries.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple credential exposure, as it provides local attackers with the means to escalate their privileges and potentially gain unauthorized access to the entire directory service infrastructure. An attacker who can execute the dsimportexport utility with sufficient privileges can extract the credentials of the service account running the tool, which typically possesses elevated permissions within the directory service environment. This information can then be used to authenticate as the directory service account, potentially allowing for complete compromise of directory services, user account manipulation, and access to sensitive organizational data. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it operates at the system level and requires minimal privileges to exploit, making it a significant concern for administrators who may not fully understand the implications of running directory service utilities with elevated access rights. The attack pattern follows the ATT&CK framework's privilege escalation techniques, specifically targeting credential access and defense evasion methods that allow attackers to maintain persistent access to critical systems.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability must address both immediate operational fixes and long-term architectural improvements to prevent similar issues. System administrators should immediately ensure that the dsimportexport utility is not executed with unnecessary elevated privileges and that proper access controls are enforced through discretionary access control mechanisms. The recommended approach involves implementing strict privilege separation where directory service operations are performed with the minimum required permissions, and credential information is properly secured during processing. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing monitoring solutions that detect unauthorized execution of privileged utilities and establish proper logging mechanisms to track directory service operations. The vulnerability highlights the importance of secure coding practices and proper input validation within system utilities, particularly those that handle sensitive authentication data. Security configurations should enforce the principle of least privilege and ensure that all system utilities properly handle authentication credentials through secure memory management techniques to prevent information leakage through process inspection or memory dump analysis.