CVE-2003-1021 in openserver
Summary
by MITRE
the scosession program in openserver 5.0.6 and 5.0.7 allows local users to gain privileges via crafted strings on the commandline.
If you want to get best quality of vulnerability data, you may have to visit VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/18/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2003-1021 affects the scosession program within OpenServer 5.0.6 and 5.0.7 operating systems, representing a local privilege escalation flaw that enables malicious users to elevate their system permissions. This issue stems from insufficient input validation mechanisms within the scosession program, which processes command line arguments without proper sanitization or authorization checks. The vulnerability specifically manifests when crafted strings are passed through the command line interface, allowing attackers with local access to manipulate the program's execution flow and potentially gain elevated privileges.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-78, which describes improper neutralization of special elements used in OS commands, and CWE-20, which addresses improper input validation. The scosession program fails to properly validate or sanitize command line arguments, creating an environment where malicious input can be interpreted and executed with elevated privileges. This flaw operates at the system level where local users can exploit the program's trust in its own input processing without sufficient security controls to prevent malicious manipulation.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability presents significant security risks for systems running OpenServer 5.0.6 and 5.0.7, as local users who might otherwise have restricted permissions could potentially escalate their privileges to root or administrative levels. The attack vector requires local system access but does not necessitate network connectivity or complex exploitation techniques, making it particularly dangerous in environments where multiple users share system resources. Once exploited, the privilege escalation could enable attackers to access sensitive system files, modify critical configurations, or establish persistent access mechanisms.
The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under privilege escalation techniques, specifically T1068 which covers "Exploitation for Privilege Escalation" and T1548.1 which addresses "Abuse Elevation Control Mechanism". Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying the vendor-supplied patches for OpenServer 5.0.6 and 5.0.7, reviewing system access controls to minimize local user privileges, and monitoring for unusual command line executions. Additionally, security administrators should consider implementing privilege separation mechanisms and regular vulnerability assessments to identify similar issues in other system components. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of input validation in system-level programs and highlights the need for comprehensive security testing of command line interfaces in enterprise operating systems.