CVE-2004-1189 in Solaris
Summary
by MITRE
The add_to_history function in svr_principal.c in libkadm5srv for MIT Kerberos 5 (krb5) up to 1.3.5, when performing a password change, does not properly track the password policy's history count and the maximum number of keys, which can cause an array index out-of-bounds error and may allow authenticated users to execute arbitrary code via a heap-based buffer overflow.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/10/2021
The vulnerability described in CVE-2004-1189 represents a critical security flaw in the MIT Kerberos 5 authentication system that specifically affects the server principal handling component. This issue resides within the add_to_history function located in svr_principal.c of the libkadm5srv library, which is responsible for managing administrative operations including password changes for Kerberos principals. The flaw manifests when the system processes password modifications, creating a scenario where the password policy history tracking mechanism fails to properly validate array boundaries during memory operations.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability stems from improper bounds checking within the password history management code. When a user performs a password change operation, the system attempts to maintain a history of previous passwords according to configured policy settings. However, the implementation fails to correctly validate the relationship between the password history count and the maximum number of keys allowed, leading to an array index out-of-bounds condition. This memory corruption occurs in heap-based buffer operations, where the system allocates memory for storing password history entries without sufficient boundary validation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and directly exposes authenticated users to potential arbitrary code execution capabilities. An attacker who has already established authentication credentials within the Kerberos environment can exploit this flaw by crafting malicious password change requests that trigger the buffer overflow condition. The out-of-bounds memory access can result in memory corruption that may be leveraged to overwrite critical program memory locations, potentially allowing attackers to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the Kerberos server process. This represents a significant privilege escalation vector that could compromise the entire Kerberos infrastructure.
This vulnerability maps directly to CWE-121, Heap-based Buffer Overflow, and CWE-129, Improper Validation of Array Index, which are fundamental weaknesses in memory management and input validation. The attack pattern aligns with ATT&CK technique T1068, Exploitation for Privilege Escalation, and T1078, Valid Accounts, as it requires authenticated access but provides a path for privilege escalation within the Kerberos environment. The vulnerability demonstrates poor defensive programming practices where boundary checks are insufficient or absent, creating opportunities for attackers to manipulate memory layout through controlled input parameters.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate patching of affected MIT Kerberos 5 installations to version 1.3.6 or later, which contains the necessary fixes for proper array boundary validation. Organizations should also implement network segmentation to limit access to Kerberos servers and employ monitoring solutions to detect anomalous authentication patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. Additionally, security teams should conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments of all Kerberos implementations within their infrastructure and ensure that proper access controls are in place to minimize the attack surface for authenticated users who might attempt to exploit this flaw. The fix typically involves implementing robust input validation and boundary checking mechanisms that properly validate the relationship between password history counts and allocated memory resources.