CVE-2004-0653 in Solaris
Summary
by MITRE
Solaris 9, when configured as a Kerberos client with patch 112908-12 or 115168-03 and using pam_krb5 as an "auth" module with the debug feature enabled, records passwords in plaintext, which could allow local users to gain other user s passwords by reading log files.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/16/2024
The vulnerability described in CVE-2004-0653 represents a critical security flaw in Solaris 9 systems configured with specific Kerberos client components. This issue specifically affects systems that have installed patch 112908-12 or 115168-03 and are utilizing pam_krb5 as an authentication module within the pluggable authentication module framework. The flaw manifests when the debug feature is enabled within the pam_krb5 module, creating a dangerous condition where sensitive authentication information becomes persistently stored in plaintext format within system log files.
The technical mechanism behind this vulnerability involves the pam_krb5 module's handling of authentication credentials when debug mode is activated. When users attempt authentication through the Kerberos system, the module logs the authentication process including the plaintext passwords to system log files. This occurs because the debug functionality, intended for troubleshooting purposes, does not properly sanitize or mask sensitive authentication data before writing it to persistent storage. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it operates at the authentication module level, where it can capture credentials directly from the authentication flow before they are processed by the Kerberos system itself.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple credential exposure, as it provides local attackers with a straightforward method to obtain passwords for other users on the system. Since the passwords are stored in plaintext within log files, any user with read access to these log files can directly extract authentication credentials without requiring additional exploitation techniques. This creates a significant risk for privilege escalation attacks where an attacker can leverage the stolen credentials to impersonate other users and potentially gain administrative access to the system. The vulnerability affects the fundamental authentication security model of the system, undermining the trust placed in Kerberos authentication mechanisms.
The flaw aligns with CWE-312 (CWE-312: Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information) and represents a classic example of insecure data handling practices in authentication modules. From an ATT&CK perspective, this vulnerability maps to T1003.001 (Credential Dumping: LSASS Memory) and T1078 (Valid Accounts) as it enables attackers to obtain credentials through legitimate system logging mechanisms rather than through more sophisticated attack vectors. The vulnerability also demonstrates poor security design principles related to the principle of least privilege, as the debug functionality should not have been enabled in production environments without proper access controls. Organizations should consider implementing additional log file access controls and regular log file audits to detect such exposures, while also ensuring that debug features are disabled in production systems where sensitive authentication data flows through the authentication modules.
Mitigation strategies should focus on disabling the debug functionality in production environments and implementing proper access controls on log files to prevent unauthorized reading. System administrators should also consider using alternative authentication modules that do not store plaintext credentials in log files, or implementing log file rotation and encryption mechanisms to protect sensitive information. The vulnerability highlights the importance of security reviews of authentication modules and the need for proper configuration management to prevent such exposures in critical system components. Regular security assessments should include verification of debug feature status and log file permissions to ensure that authentication credential exposure does not occur through legitimate system logging mechanisms.