CVE-2004-2004 in Linux
Summary
by MITRE
The Live CD in SUSE LINUX 9.1 Personal edition is configured without a password for root, which allows remote attackers to gain privileges via SSH.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/18/2018
The vulnerability described in CVE-2004-2004 represents a critical security flaw in the SUSE LINUX 9.1 Personal edition Live CD configuration. This issue stems from the default system setup where the root account lacks a password configuration, creating an exploitable condition that directly enables unauthorized remote access. The Live CD environment, designed for temporary use and system testing, was inadvertently configured with a root account that could be accessed without authentication, presenting a significant risk to systems that might be running this particular distribution.
The technical flaw manifests in the SSH daemon configuration within the Live CD environment where the root account is permitted to authenticate without requiring a password. This misconfiguration occurs because the system administrator or installer failed to properly secure the root account during the Live CD creation process. When SSH is enabled on such a system, any remote attacker can simply connect using the root username and proceed to gain full system privileges without any authentication barriers. This vulnerability directly violates fundamental security principles and represents a classic case of insecure default configuration as outlined in CWE-706.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation, as it allows attackers to execute arbitrary commands with complete system control. Remote attackers can leverage this condition to install malicious software, modify system files, access sensitive data, or establish persistent backdoors within the compromised system. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous in environments where the Live CD might be exposed to network access or where systems are not properly secured after booting from the CD. This condition creates a pathway for attackers to perform lateral movement within networks and can serve as a foundation for more sophisticated attacks, aligning with ATT&CK technique T1078 for valid accounts and T1566 for credential harvesting.
The security implications of this vulnerability highlight the importance of proper system hardening and secure configuration practices. Organizations and individuals using this Live CD should immediately implement mitigations including setting a strong root password, disabling SSH access for the root account, or configuring proper authentication mechanisms. The vulnerability also demonstrates the critical need for comprehensive security testing of distribution images, particularly those intended for temporary or demonstration use. This issue underscores the principle that even temporary systems require proper security measures and represents a failure in the security configuration lifecycle, as defined by industry standards and best practices for secure system administration.