CVE-2004-1184 in Mac OS X
Summary
by MITRE
The EPSF pipe support in enscript 1.6.3 allows remote attackers or local users to execute arbitrary commands via shell metacharacters.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/30/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2004-1184 resides within the EPSF pipe support functionality of enscript version 1.6.3, a widely used text formatting and printing utility. This flaw represents a critical command injection vulnerability that can be exploited by both remote attackers and local users to execute arbitrary system commands. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and sanitization within the EPSF (Encapsulated PostScript Filter) pipe processing mechanism, which is designed to handle external commands through pipe operations. When enscript processes EPSF data containing shell metacharacters, it fails to properly escape or filter these special characters, creating an avenue for malicious command execution. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-78 category of Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in OS Command Injection, where the application directly incorporates user-supplied data into system commands without adequate sanitization.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation, as it allows attackers to execute commands with the privileges of the enscript process, which typically runs with the permissions of the user who invoked it. In environments where enscript is used with elevated privileges or in automated processing pipelines, this vulnerability can lead to complete system compromise. The exploitation mechanism involves crafting EPSF data containing shell metacharacters such as semicolons, pipes, or command substitution operators that get interpreted by the underlying shell when enscript attempts to process the pipe commands. This vulnerability is particularly dangerous in web applications or services that utilize enscript for document conversion, as it can be triggered through user-uploaded content or manipulated input parameters. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to T1059.001 (Command and Scripting Interpreter: PowerShell) and T1059.003 (Command and Scripting Interpreter: Windows Command Shell) through the exploitation of shell command injection techniques.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2004-1184 require immediate patching of the enscript utility to version 1.6.4 or later, which contains the necessary input validation fixes. System administrators should also implement strict input filtering and sanitization for all EPSF data processing, particularly in environments where user input is accepted. The principle of least privilege should be enforced by running enscript with minimal required permissions, and input validation should be implemented at multiple layers including application-level filtering and network-level content inspection. Organizations should consider implementing network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure of systems running enscript with pipe support. Additionally, regular security audits and vulnerability assessments should be conducted to identify similar command injection vulnerabilities in other software components. The remediation process should include comprehensive testing to ensure that the patch does not introduce regressions in legitimate functionality while maintaining the security posture against command injection attacks. This vulnerability serves as a prime example of why proper input validation and sanitization are critical security practices, particularly when dealing with external data processing in system utilities.