CVE-2007-0005 in Omnikey CardMan 4040
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple buffer overflows in the (1) read and (2) write handlers in the Omnikey CardMan 4040 driver in the Linux kernel before 2.6.21-rc3 allow local users to gain privileges.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/23/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2007-0005 represents a critical security flaw affecting the Omnikey CardMan 4040 smart card driver in Linux kernel versions prior to 2.6.21-rc3. This issue manifests through multiple buffer overflow conditions within the driver's read and write handler functions, creating exploitable entry points that could be leveraged by local attackers to escalate their privileges. The vulnerability specifically targets the kernel-space components responsible for handling communication with smart card devices, making it particularly dangerous as it operates at the core level of system security.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation within the driver's I/O handling routines. When the kernel processes read or write operations to the Omnikey CardMan 4040 device, the driver fails to properly bounds-check user-supplied data before copying it into fixed-size kernel buffers. This classic buffer overflow condition occurs because the driver does not validate the length of incoming data against the allocated buffer space, allowing malicious input to overwrite adjacent memory regions. The flaw exists in the kernel's device driver framework where the read and write handler functions lack proper parameter validation, directly violating secure coding practices outlined in various security standards including those addressing CWE-121 and CWE-122 buffer overflow vulnerabilities.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation, as it provides attackers with a pathway to gain unauthorized administrative access to systems running vulnerable kernel versions. Local users who have access to the system can exploit this flaw to execute arbitrary code with kernel-level privileges, potentially leading to complete system compromise. The attack vector requires only local access to the system, making it particularly concerning as it can be exploited by malicious users already within the organization or by attackers who have obtained low-privilege access through other means. This vulnerability directly maps to ATT&CK technique T1068, which describes the exploitation of local privileges to gain system-level access.
The exploitation of this vulnerability requires careful crafting of input data that exceeds the allocated buffer size, causing memory corruption that can be leveraged to overwrite critical kernel data structures or function pointers. Attackers can potentially manipulate the instruction pointer to redirect execution flow and execute malicious code with kernel privileges. The vulnerability affects systems that utilize the Omnikey CardMan 4040 smart card reader, which was commonly deployed in enterprise environments for secure authentication and access control. Organizations running kernel versions prior to 2.6.21-rc3 face significant risk as this vulnerability has been widely documented and could be actively exploited in the wild. The remediation strategy involves upgrading to kernel version 2.6.21-rc3 or later, which includes proper bounds checking and input validation in the affected driver components. Additionally, system administrators should implement monitoring for suspicious I/O operations and consider implementing kernel hardening measures such as stack canaries and address space layout randomization to mitigate potential exploitation attempts.