CVE-2005-0385 in luxman
Summary
by MITRE
Buffer overflow in luxman before 0.41, if used with certain insecure svgalib libraries, allows local users to execute arbitrary code via a long -f command line argument.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/28/2024
The vulnerability described in CVE-2005-0385 represents a classic buffer overflow flaw that emerged in the luxman utility version 0.41 and earlier. This issue specifically manifests when luxman is compiled and executed in conjunction with certain versions of the svgalib library, creating a dangerous condition that can be exploited by local attackers. The flaw is particularly concerning because it allows privilege escalation through a simple command line argument manipulation, making it accessible to users who may not possess elevated privileges initially.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from improper input validation within the luxman application's handling of command line arguments. When a user provides an excessively long argument to the -f flag, the application fails to properly bounds-check the input data before copying it into a fixed-size buffer. This classic buffer overflow condition occurs because the program does not verify that the length of the provided argument exceeds the allocated buffer space, allowing adjacent memory to be overwritten with attacker-controlled data. The specific use of svgalib libraries exacerbates this issue as these libraries may not properly validate or sanitize input parameters, creating a chain of insecure operations that culminates in executable code injection.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents significant risk to systems where luxman is installed and used by local users. The local execution requirement means that attackers must already have access to the target system, but the privilege escalation potential makes it particularly dangerous in environments where users may have varying levels of system access. The attack vector is straightforward and reliable, requiring only the construction of a specially crafted command line argument that exceeds the buffer capacity. This vulnerability directly relates to CWE-121, which describes stack-based buffer overflow conditions, and represents a clear violation of secure coding practices that should prevent such memory corruption issues.
The impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple code execution as it can potentially allow attackers to gain elevated privileges or execute malicious payloads with the permissions of the luxman process. The use of svgalib libraries in this context highlights the importance of understanding the complete software stack when assessing security risks, as vulnerabilities in supporting libraries can compound the security posture of applications. This issue demonstrates how seemingly minor input validation failures can create serious security implications, particularly in utility applications that may be invoked with elevated privileges or have access to sensitive system resources.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2005-0385 should focus on immediate remediation through software updates to luxman version 0.41 or later, which presumably contain fixes for the buffer overflow condition. System administrators should also consider implementing strict input validation measures and monitoring for unusual command line argument patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1068, which covers 'Exploitation for Privilege Escalation', and represents a common attack pattern where local users leverage software flaws to gain elevated system access. Additionally, organizations should conduct comprehensive audits of their software installations to identify other applications that may be similarly vulnerable to buffer overflow conditions, particularly those that interface with potentially insecure library dependencies.