CVE-2005-0427 in Webmin
Summary
by MITRE
The ebuild of Webmin before 1.170-r3 on Gentoo Linux includes the encrypted root password in the miniserv.users file when building a tbz2 of the webmin package, which allows remote attackers to obtain and possibly crack the encrypted password.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/01/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2005-0427 represents a critical security flaw in the Webmin package distribution mechanism on Gentoo Linux systems. This issue specifically affects Webmin versions prior to 1.170-r3 where the ebuild packaging process inadvertently includes sensitive authentication credentials in the miniserv.users file. The flaw occurs during the creation of the tbz2 package archive, which is the standard packaging format used by Gentoo's package management system. When administrators or users install Webmin through this compromised package, they unknowingly inherit a configuration that exposes the root password in an encrypted format within the miniserv.users file.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from improper handling of authentication credentials during the package build process. The miniserv.users file serves as the primary authentication database for Webmin's web interface, containing user account information including encrypted passwords. In this case, the encrypted root password is explicitly included in the file rather than being generated dynamically during installation or configured through proper secure channels. This design flaw creates a persistent security risk where any user with access to the compromised package can extract the password hash from the miniserv.users file, potentially enabling credential reuse attacks or password cracking attempts against the encrypted value.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability significantly weakens the security posture of affected systems by providing attackers with direct access to a high-privilege account's encrypted password. The remote attack vector means that an attacker need only obtain the compromised package to gain access to the password hash, eliminating the need for complex exploitation techniques or additional reconnaissance. The vulnerability particularly affects systems where Webmin is used as a primary administrative interface, as the root account credentials are typically the most privileged available. This exposure creates opportunities for privilege escalation attacks, lateral movement within networks, and potential complete system compromise when combined with other vulnerabilities.
The security implications of this vulnerability align with CWE-312 (Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information) and CWE-259 (Use of Hard-coded Credentials) categories, as it involves the insecure storage of authentication credentials within a package distribution mechanism. This flaw also maps to ATT&CK technique T1078.004 (Valid Accounts: Cloud Accounts) and T1566.001 (Phishing: Spearphishing Attachment) in scenarios where attackers might leverage this information to gain unauthorized access to systems. Organizations affected by this vulnerability should immediately upgrade to Webmin version 1.170-r3 or later, which properly handles authentication credentials during package creation. Additional mitigation strategies include implementing network segmentation, monitoring for unauthorized package installations, and conducting thorough security audits of installed software packages to identify any other compromised distributions. The incident highlights the importance of secure packaging practices and proper credential handling during software distribution processes to prevent such persistent security flaws from affecting deployed systems.