CVE-2005-2136 in Dominion
Summary
by MITRE
Raritan Dominion SX (DSX) Console Servers DSX16, DSX32, DSX4, DSX8, and DSXA-48 set (1) world-readable permissions for /etc/shadow and (2) world-writable permissions for /bin/busybox, which allows local users to obtain hashed passwords or execute arbitrary code as other users.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/09/2018
The vulnerability described in CVE-2005-2136 affects Raritan Dominion SX Console Servers including models DSX16, DSX32, DSX4, DSX8, and DSXA-48. These network appliances serve as critical remote access and console management solutions for enterprise environments, providing administrators with secure access to network devices and systems. The flaw stems from improper file system permissions that create significant security risks for organizations relying on these devices for network management and remote access operations.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves two critical permission misconfigurations within the device's file system. First, the /etc/shadow file which contains encrypted password hashes for system users is configured with world-readable permissions, allowing any local user to access this sensitive information. Second, the /bin/busybox binary which serves as a collection of common Unix utilities is set with world-writable permissions, enabling local users to modify or replace this critical system component. This dual misconfiguration creates a path for privilege escalation and credential theft attacks.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability represents a severe security weakness that directly violates fundamental security principles of least privilege and proper access control. The world-readable /etc/shadow file provides attackers with immediate access to password hashes that can be subjected to offline password cracking attacks, potentially compromising multiple user accounts and system access. The world-writable /bin/busybox file creates an opportunity for arbitrary code execution, as attackers can modify this essential utility to gain elevated privileges or inject malicious code into the system. This vulnerability essentially provides a complete path to system compromise for local users who might otherwise have limited access.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-732: Incorrect Permission Assignment for Critical Resource, which specifically addresses cases where critical system files are given inappropriate permissions. From an attack framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to several ATT&CK techniques including privilege escalation through file permissions manipulation and credential access through password dumping. Organizations using these console servers face significant risk of unauthorized access, data breaches, and potential network compromise. The impact extends beyond individual device compromise to potentially affect entire network infrastructures that rely on these management systems for remote access and device control.
Mitigation strategies should focus on immediate permission correction, ensuring that /etc/shadow files are restricted to root-only access while verifying that /bin/busybox maintains proper read-only permissions. System administrators should conduct comprehensive permission audits across all critical system files and implement automated monitoring to detect similar misconfigurations. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing network segmentation and access controls to limit local user access to these management devices. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify and remediate similar permission-related flaws in network infrastructure devices, particularly those handling sensitive system credentials and access controls.