CVE-2006-5965 in PassGo SSO Plus
Summary
by MITRE
PassGo SSO Plus 2.1.0.32, and probably earlier versions, uses insecure permissions (Everyone/Full Control) for the PassGo Technologies directory, which allows local users to gain privileges by modifying critical programs.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/29/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2006-5965 affects PassGo SSO Plus version 2.1.0.32 and potentially earlier releases, representing a critical security flaw in the software's permission model. This issue stems from the application's improper configuration of directory permissions during installation, specifically granting Everyone group full control access to the PassGo Technologies directory. The flaw constitutes a privilege escalation vulnerability that directly violates fundamental security principles of least privilege and access control. From a cybersecurity perspective, this represents a classic misconfiguration issue that allows unauthorized local users to manipulate critical system components without proper authentication or authorization.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the installation process failing to properly set restrictive permissions on the application's directory structure. When PassGo SSO Plus is installed, it creates a PassGo Technologies directory that contains essential program binaries and configuration files. The insecure permission setting grants the Everyone group full control permissions, which includes the ability to read, write, modify, and execute all files within this directory. This misconfiguration creates a path for privilege escalation attacks where local users can replace legitimate executable files with malicious counterparts, effectively gaining elevated privileges on the system. The vulnerability directly maps to CWE-276, which addresses improper file permissions, and represents a failure in the principle of least privilege enforcement.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant for organizations utilizing PassGo SSO Plus, as it provides a straightforward attack vector for local adversaries. Any user with access to the system can exploit this weakness by modifying critical program files, potentially leading to complete system compromise. The attack requires no network connectivity or specialized tools beyond basic file manipulation capabilities, making it particularly dangerous in environments where local access is not strictly controlled. This vulnerability undermines the security posture of the entire system, as it allows attackers to bypass authentication mechanisms that the SSO solution is designed to protect. The risk is amplified when considering that the attacker does not need to be authenticated to the system, as the vulnerability exists at the file system level.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on immediate permission correction and long-term access control improvements. The primary remediation involves manually correcting the directory permissions to restrict access to only authorized users and system processes, typically requiring the removal of the Everyone group's full control permissions and implementing proper discretionary access control. Organizations should also consider implementing automated security scanning tools to detect similar permission misconfigurations across their systems. From a defensive perspective, this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1068, which covers privilege escalation through local exploitation. System administrators should also implement regular security audits and compliance checks to prevent such misconfigurations from occurring in the future, ensuring that all software installations follow secure configuration guidelines and that access control mechanisms are properly enforced.