CVE-2004-0134 in IRIX
Summary
by MITRE
cpr (libcpr) in SGI IRIX before 6.5.25 allows local users to gain privileges by loading a user provided library while restarting the checkpointed process.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/08/2017
The vulnerability described in CVE-2004-0134 affects the cpr library component within SGI IRIX operating systems prior to version 6.5.25. This issue represents a privilege escalation vulnerability that specifically targets the checkpoint and restart functionality of the operating system. The cpr library, which stands for checkpoint and restart, is responsible for managing the process state preservation and restoration mechanisms that allow applications to be suspended and later resumed from their previous execution state. This capability is particularly valuable in high-performance computing environments where long-running processes need to be managed efficiently across system restarts or maintenance activities.
The technical flaw stems from the improper handling of library loading during the restart process of checkpointed applications. When a process is restarted after being checkpointed, the system loads libraries that were present during the original execution. However, the vulnerable implementation allows local users to manipulate this library loading process by providing their own malicious libraries that get loaded instead of the legitimate system libraries. This occurs because the restart mechanism does not properly validate or restrict the library paths from which user-provided libraries can be loaded, creating an opportunity for attackers to inject code that executes with elevated privileges. The vulnerability specifically exploits the trust model where the system assumes that libraries loaded during restart are legitimate and safe, without sufficient verification of their source or integrity.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant for systems running affected versions of SGI IRIX, particularly in enterprise environments where checkpoint and restart functionality is actively used. Local attackers who can access the system can leverage this vulnerability to escalate their privileges from regular user level to root or administrative privileges, bypassing normal access controls and security boundaries. This privilege escalation capability enables attackers to gain complete control over the affected system, potentially leading to data theft, system compromise, and further lateral movement within the network. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it operates at the system level rather than being limited to application-level exploits, and the checkpoint and restart functionality is commonly used in high-performance computing scenarios where such systems might be more accessible or have relaxed security controls.
The root cause of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-427 Uncontrolled Search Path Element, which describes situations where applications use search paths that can be manipulated by attackers to load unintended libraries. This weakness is further classified under the ATT&CK framework as privilege escalation through dynamic-link library (DLL) injection or library loading manipulation techniques. The vulnerability demonstrates how trusted system components can become attack vectors when proper input validation and privilege separation are not implemented. Organizations using SGI IRIX systems should implement immediate mitigations including updating to version 6.5.25 or later, which contains the necessary patches to address the library loading vulnerability. Additionally, system administrators should review and restrict the library search paths for checkpoint and restart operations, implement proper file system permissions, and consider disabling checkpoint and restart functionality if it is not essential for operations. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of maintaining up-to-date system components and the necessity of security reviews for system-level functionality that involves dynamic library loading and process management operations.