CVE-2004-0482 in OpenBSD
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple integer overflows in (1) procfs_cmdline.c, (2) procfs_fpregs.c, (3) procfs_linux.c, (4) procfs_regs.c, (5) procfs_status.c, and (6) procfs_subr.c in procfs for OpenBSD 3.5 and earlier allow local users to read sensitive kernel memory and possibly perform other unauthorized activities.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/18/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2004-0482 represents a critical security flaw within the OpenBSD operating system's procfs implementation, specifically affecting versions 3.5 and earlier. This issue manifests through multiple integer overflow conditions across six distinct source files within the procfs subsystem, creating a significant attack surface for local adversaries seeking to exploit kernel memory access privileges. The procfs filesystem serves as a virtual filesystem interface that provides process information and debugging capabilities to user-space applications, making it a critical component for system monitoring and administration tasks.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from improper handling of integer values within the procfs subsystem's codebase, where developers failed to validate or properly constrain integer operations during memory allocation and data processing. When local users interact with various procfs interfaces through the affected files, these integer overflows can cause memory corruption that allows attackers to read arbitrary kernel memory locations. The integer overflow conditions occur primarily during buffer size calculations and memory management operations, where malicious inputs can cause unsigned integers to wrap around to extremely large values, leading to unintended memory access patterns. This flaw specifically affects the cmdline, fpregs, linux, regs, status, and subr modules within the procfs implementation, each representing different aspects of process information access and manipulation.
The operational impact of CVE-2004-0482 extends beyond simple information disclosure, as local attackers with minimal privileges can potentially leverage these vulnerabilities to gain unauthorized access to sensitive kernel memory regions. This access could reveal critical system information including process credentials, memory addresses, and potentially confidential data stored within kernel memory spaces. The vulnerability's classification aligns with CWE-190, which describes integer overflow conditions that can result in memory corruption and arbitrary code execution. From an adversarial perspective, this vulnerability provides a pathway for privilege escalation and information gathering that could be exploited as part of broader attack chains within the ATT&CK framework, particularly under the techniques related to privilege escalation and credential access.
Security mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate system updates to patched versions of OpenBSD, as the flaw exists at the kernel level and cannot be effectively addressed through user-space workarounds. System administrators should prioritize patching affected systems, particularly those running OpenBSD 3.5 or earlier versions, as the vulnerability represents a fundamental flaw in the kernel's memory management and input validation processes. Additionally, implementing proper input validation and integer overflow protections within the kernel codebase would prevent similar issues from occurring in future implementations. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of robust integer handling in kernel-space code and highlights the necessity of comprehensive security testing for all system components that interface with user-space applications through virtual filesystems. Organizations should also consider implementing monitoring solutions to detect anomalous procfs access patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts, while maintaining regular security assessments to identify and remediate similar vulnerabilities across their computing infrastructure.