CVE-2004-2440 in proxytunnel
Summary
by MITRE
unspecified vulnerability in cmdline.c in proxytunnel 1.1.3 and earlier allows local users to obtain proxy credentials (username or password) of other users.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/29/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2004-2440 represents a critical security flaw within the proxytunnel utility version 1.1.3 and earlier, specifically within the cmdline.c component. This issue manifests as an unspecified vulnerability that creates a privilege escalation scenario where local users can potentially access proxy authentication credentials belonging to other users on the same system. The flaw exists in the command line argument processing functionality of the proxytunnel application, which is commonly used to establish secure connections through proxy servers.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from improper handling of command line parameters and credential storage mechanisms within the proxytunnel application. When users execute proxytunnel with specific command line arguments, the application fails to properly isolate or secure credential information, allowing unauthorized local access to authentication data. This type of vulnerability typically falls under the category of information disclosure and privilege escalation, with potential implications for access control and data confidentiality. The flaw demonstrates a classic security weakness in how the application manages sensitive information during execution, particularly when multiple users may be operating the same utility on the same system.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability creates significant risks for environments where multiple users share the same system or where proxy tunneling is utilized for network access. Local users can exploit this weakness to extract authentication credentials, potentially gaining unauthorized access to protected networks or services through the proxy server. The impact extends beyond simple credential theft, as these credentials could be used to bypass network security controls, access restricted resources, or perform further attacks against downstream systems. This vulnerability essentially undermines the trust model of the proxytunnel utility, allowing for unauthorized information access that violates fundamental security principles of user isolation and credential protection.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-200, which addresses information exposure, and demonstrates characteristics consistent with privilege escalation attacks as outlined in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under T1068 for local privilege escalation. Organizations utilizing proxytunnel in environments where multiple users share systems or where credential security is paramount face particular risk from this flaw. The remediation approach requires immediate patching of the proxytunnel utility to version 1.1.4 or later, which contains fixes for the credential handling issues in cmdline.c. Additionally, system administrators should implement proper access controls, audit command line usage, and consider alternative proxy solutions with more robust credential handling mechanisms. Regular security assessments and monitoring for unauthorized proxy tunneling activities should also be implemented to detect potential exploitation attempts.