CVE-2003-1167 in KPopup
Summary
by MITRE
misc.cpp in KPopup 0.9.1 trusts the PATH variable when executing killall, which allows local users to elevate their privileges by modifying the PATH variable to reference a malicious killall program.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/30/2024
The vulnerability described in CVE-2003-1167 represents a classic privilege escalation flaw in the KPopup 0.9.1 application that demonstrates poor input validation and insecure programming practices. This issue occurs within the misc.cpp file where the application executes the killall command without properly sanitizing the environment variables it uses. The core problem stems from the application's trust in the PATH environment variable, which is a fundamental security assumption that can be exploited by malicious actors.
The technical flaw manifests when local users manipulate the PATH variable to point to a maliciously crafted killall program instead of the legitimate system command. When KPopup executes killall, it follows the standard Unix/Linux search path mechanism and executes whatever killall binary appears first in PATH. This behavior creates a race condition and privilege escalation opportunity where an attacker can place their own killall binary with elevated privileges in a directory that appears earlier in the PATH. The vulnerability directly relates to CWE-78, which addresses Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in OS Commands, and CWE-276, which covers Incorrect Default Permissions.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant as it allows local users to escalate their privileges from standard user level to potentially root access depending on how the malicious killall binary is designed. When KPopup runs with elevated privileges, such as being setuid root or running in a context with higher permissions, the attacker can leverage this to execute arbitrary code with those elevated privileges. This type of vulnerability is particularly dangerous in multi-user environments where users may have legitimate reasons to run KPopup but could exploit this weakness to gain unauthorized access to system resources.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2003-1167 should focus on implementing secure coding practices that prevent environment variable manipulation. The most effective approach involves hardcoding absolute paths to system commands rather than relying on PATH resolution, which aligns with ATT&CK technique T1068 for privilege escalation through environment variables. Additionally, applications should validate and sanitize all input parameters and environment variables before use. System administrators should also ensure proper file permissions and implement monitoring for unauthorized changes to critical system binaries. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of following secure coding guidelines that prevent command injection attacks and emphasizes the need for proper privilege separation in applications that execute system commands.
This vulnerability type falls under the broader category of insecure environment handling and represents a common pattern in legacy applications that were not designed with security considerations in mind. The exploitation requires local access but can have severe consequences, making it a critical issue for system administrators to address through both immediate patching and long-term secure coding practices. The flaw underscores the importance of defensive programming techniques and proper environment variable handling in preventing privilege escalation attacks.