CVE-2003-0473 in IRIX
Summary
by MITRE
Unknown vulnerability in the IPv6 capability in IRIX 6.5.19 causes snoop to process packets as the root user, with unknown implications.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/11/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2003-0473 represents a critical security flaw within the IPv6 implementation of SGI's IRIX operating system version 6.5.19. This issue specifically affects the snoop utility which is designed to capture and analyze network traffic for diagnostic purposes. The vulnerability arises from improper privilege handling within the IPv6 packet processing mechanisms, creating a potential pathway for unauthorized privilege escalation. The snoop utility, when processing IPv6 packets, executes with elevated root privileges, creating a significant security risk that could be exploited by malicious actors.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability lies in the privilege escalation mechanism within the IPv6 networking stack of IRIX 6.5.19. When the snoop utility processes incoming IPv6 packets, it fails to properly drop root privileges before executing packet processing operations. This design flaw allows the utility to maintain administrative privileges throughout its operation, effectively creating a persistent backdoor for attackers who can manipulate network traffic to trigger the vulnerable code path. The vulnerability is classified as a privilege escalation issue that aligns with CWE-276, which deals with improper privileges for a resource, and more specifically with CWE-782, which addresses exposed service with an easy-to-exploit vulnerability.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation, as it creates a persistent threat vector within networked environments. An attacker who gains the ability to send specially crafted IPv6 packets to a system running IRIX 6.5.19 could potentially execute arbitrary code with root privileges, effectively compromising the entire system. This vulnerability particularly affects systems that have IPv6 enabled and are running the snoop utility for network monitoring purposes. The implications are severe because the snoop utility is commonly used in network diagnostics, making the vulnerability exploitable in legitimate network management scenarios. The attack surface is further expanded by the fact that IPv6 is increasingly becoming standard in modern network infrastructures, making this vulnerability relevant even in contemporary environments.
From an adversarial perspective, this vulnerability aligns with several techniques documented in the MITRE ATT&CK framework, particularly those related to privilege escalation and defense evasion. The vulnerability could be leveraged as part of a broader attack chain where an adversary first establishes network presence, then uses the snoop utility's elevated privileges to gain persistent access to the target system. The attack pattern would involve sending crafted IPv6 packets to trigger the vulnerable snoop utility, which would then execute with root privileges, allowing for complete system compromise. Organizations should consider this vulnerability in their threat modeling exercises, particularly in environments where legacy IRIX systems are still operational and where IPv6 is enabled.
The recommended mitigations for this vulnerability include immediate patching of IRIX systems to the latest available security updates from SGI, which would address the privilege escalation flaw in the IPv6 packet processing code. Organizations should also consider disabling IPv6 functionality on systems where it is not required, as a temporary workaround to reduce the attack surface. Network segmentation and access controls should be implemented to limit exposure of systems running IRIX 6.5.19 to untrusted network traffic. Additionally, monitoring for unusual snoop utility usage patterns and network traffic anomalies should be implemented to detect potential exploitation attempts. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the importance of proper privilege management in network utilities and highlights the need for comprehensive security testing of network stack implementations.