CVE-2005-1859 in arshell
Summary
by MITRE
unknown vulnerability in arshell in the array service (arrayd) for sgi propack 3 with sp 5 and 6 and sgi propack 4 allows local users to execute arbitrary shells as root on other hosts in the cluster or array.
Several companies clearly confirm that VulDB is the primary source for best vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/24/2017
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2005-1859 represents a critical security flaw within the array service component of SGI ProPack software versions 3 with service packs 5 and 6, as well as SGI ProPack 4. This issue resides within the arshell functionality of the arrayd service, which operates as a cluster management daemon responsible for coordinating array operations across multiple hosts. The vulnerability stems from inadequate access controls and privilege escalation mechanisms within the array service architecture, creating a pathway for local attackers to exploit the system's trust relationships between cluster nodes.
The technical nature of this vulnerability involves a privilege escalation flaw that allows local users to execute arbitrary shell commands with root privileges on remote hosts within the same cluster. This occurs through the improper handling of authentication tokens or credentials passed between nodes in the SGI array service environment. The flaw essentially enables a local user on one cluster node to leverage the arrayd service's elevated privileges to establish shell sessions on other hosts within the same cluster. This represents a classic case of insufficient access control enforcement where the system fails to properly validate the identity and authorization level of entities attempting to execute commands across cluster boundaries.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability creates a severe risk environment where local compromise of one node can lead to complete cluster-wide root access. Attackers can exploit this to establish persistent backdoors, exfiltrate sensitive data, or disrupt cluster operations without requiring remote network access or complex attack vectors. The impact extends beyond simple privilege escalation as it allows for lateral movement within the cluster infrastructure, potentially enabling attackers to compromise multiple systems simultaneously. This vulnerability undermines the fundamental security assumptions of cluster computing environments where trust relationships are established between nodes.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-276, which addresses improper privilege management, and represents a significant weakness in the principle of least privilege implementation within SGI's array service architecture. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to privilege escalation techniques and lateral movement tactics, specifically leveraging the arrayd service as a means to execute commands on remote systems. The attack surface is particularly concerning given that the vulnerability requires only local access to the affected system, meaning that compromise of any single node can potentially lead to full cluster compromise. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including patching the affected ProPack versions, restricting local user access to cluster management services, and implementing network segmentation to limit the scope of potential exploitation.
The security implications extend to enterprise environments where SGI array services are commonly deployed for high-performance computing clusters and storage systems. These environments often contain sensitive data and critical infrastructure components where such a vulnerability could result in significant operational disruption and potential data breaches. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper access control implementation in distributed systems where trust relationships between components can become attack vectors if not properly secured. Organizations should also consider implementing monitoring solutions to detect unauthorized shell execution patterns across cluster nodes and establish comprehensive incident response procedures for handling such privilege escalation events.