CVE-2005-2934 in UnixWare
Summary
by MITRE
unspecified vulnerability in ptrace in sco unixware 7.1.3 and 7.1.4 allows local users to gain privileges via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/06/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2005-2934 resides within the ptrace system call implementation of SCO UnixWare 7.1.3 and 7.1.4 operating systems, representing a critical privilege escalation flaw that enables local attackers to elevate their system privileges without proper authorization. This issue stems from insufficient input validation and access control mechanisms within the ptrace functionality, which is designed to allow one process to observe and control the execution of another process. The unspecified nature of the attack vectors suggests that multiple pathways exist for exploitation, potentially encompassing various combinations of process attachment, memory manipulation, and debugging control operations that bypass intended security boundaries.
The technical flaw manifests through improper privilege checking within the ptrace implementation, allowing unauthorized local users to manipulate process execution states and potentially access restricted memory regions or system resources. This vulnerability directly relates to CWE-264, which addresses permissions, privileges, and access controls, specifically targeting the improper restriction of operations within a recognized access control mechanism. The ptrace system call typically requires specific permissions and authentication mechanisms to prevent unauthorized process manipulation, yet in these SCO UnixWare versions, these protections are insufficiently enforced. Attackers can leverage this weakness to attach to privileged processes, modify their execution context, or extract sensitive information that should remain protected from local users.
The operational impact of CVE-2005-2934 is significant, as local users who might otherwise have limited system privileges can exploit this vulnerability to gain elevated access rights, potentially leading to complete system compromise. This privilege escalation capability allows attackers to bypass standard user access controls and execute malicious code with higher privileges than originally intended. The vulnerability affects systems running SCO UnixWare 7.1.3 and 7.1.4, which were widely deployed in enterprise environments during that time period, making the potential attack surface quite broad. Once exploited, attackers could manipulate system processes, access confidential data, modify system configurations, or establish persistent access points within the compromised systems.
Security mitigations for this vulnerability should focus on implementing proper access controls and privilege restrictions within the ptrace system call implementation. System administrators should ensure that all available security patches and updates from SCO are applied immediately to address this vulnerability. The recommended approach includes strengthening the authentication mechanisms for ptrace operations, implementing stricter access control lists, and monitoring process attachment activities for suspicious behavior. Organizations should also consider implementing additional security controls such as mandatory access controls, process integrity checking, and regular security audits to detect and prevent exploitation attempts. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to privilege escalation techniques and can be categorized under T1068, which addresses locally executed commands and T1059, covering command and scripting interpreters. The vulnerability represents a classic example of insufficient privilege checking that allows unauthorized access to system resources and processes.