CVE-2004-0317 in Load Sharing Facility
Summary
by MITRE
Buffer overflow in eauth in Load Sharing Facility 4.x, 5.x, and 6.x allows local users or remote attackers within the LSF cluster to cause a denial of service (segmentation fault) and possibly execute arbitrary code via a long LSF_From_PC parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/08/2017
The vulnerability described in CVE-2004-0317 represents a critical buffer overflow flaw within the eauth component of Load Sharing Facility 4.x, 5.x, and 6.x systems. This issue affects the LSF cluster environment where multiple computing nodes share resources and coordinate tasks through a centralized management system. The buffer overflow occurs specifically when processing the LSF_From_PC parameter, which serves as a communication identifier between cluster nodes. The vulnerability exists at the intersection of network communication protocols and memory management within the LSF architecture, creating a potential attack surface that could be exploited by both local users and remote attackers within the same cluster environment.
The technical implementation of this flaw stems from inadequate input validation and buffer size management within the eauth authentication module. When a maliciously crafted LSF_From_PC parameter exceeds the allocated buffer space, the system experiences memory corruption that manifests as a segmentation fault during normal operation. This memory corruption can potentially be leveraged to overwrite critical program execution pointers or return addresses, enabling an attacker to redirect program flow and execute arbitrary code. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it operates at the kernel or system-level execution context where privileges are elevated, making the potential for code execution significantly more dangerous than typical user-space buffer overflows. This flaw directly maps to CWE-121, which describes stack-based buffer overflow conditions, and CWE-122, which covers heap-based buffer overflow scenarios, depending on the specific memory allocation pattern exploited.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service conditions to encompass potential system compromise and unauthorized access to cluster resources. A successful exploitation could allow attackers to gain elevated privileges within the LSF cluster environment, potentially enabling them to manipulate job scheduling, access sensitive data, or disrupt the entire cluster operation. The denial of service aspect creates immediate operational disruption where legitimate users cannot submit or manage jobs through the cluster infrastructure. Remote attackers within the LSF cluster network can exploit this vulnerability without requiring authentication, making the attack surface particularly wide and the risk assessment critical for any organization utilizing these legacy LSF versions. The vulnerability's persistence across multiple major versions (4.x, 5.x, and 6.x) indicates a fundamental flaw in the codebase that was not properly addressed through version updates, creating long-term exposure for affected systems.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should prioritize immediate patching and version upgrades to the latest supported LSF releases where the buffer overflow has been corrected. Organizations should implement network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure of LSF cluster components to untrusted networks while maintaining strict internal monitoring of LSF_From_PC parameter usage. The implementation of input validation measures within the eauth module should be enforced to prevent overly long parameter values from being processed, and additional security monitoring should be deployed to detect anomalous parameter patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts. System administrators should consider implementing the principle of least privilege for LSF cluster operations and ensure that all cluster nodes maintain current security patches. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to T1059.007 for command and script injection techniques and T1499.004 for network denial of service attacks, while also potentially enabling T1548.001 for privilege escalation through code execution. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of secure coding practices and input validation in distributed computing environments where authentication and authorization mechanisms are critical for system integrity.