CVE-2007-0805 in Tru64
Summary
by MITRE
The ps (/usr/ucb/ps) command on HP Tru64 UNIX 5.1 1885 allows local users to obtain sensitive information, including environment variables of arbitrary processes, via the "auxewww" argument, a similar issue to CVE-1999-1587.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/19/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2007-0805 affects the ps command implementation on HP Tru64 UNIX 5.1 1885 systems, representing a significant information disclosure weakness that exposes sensitive process data to local attackers. This flaw specifically manifests when the ps command is invoked with the "auxewww" argument, which enables attackers to extract environment variables from arbitrary processes running on the system. The vulnerability shares similarities with CVE-1999-1587, indicating a persistent pattern in how process monitoring tools handle sensitive data exposure across different versions of Unix-like operating systems. The issue stems from inadequate input validation and privilege separation within the ps command implementation, allowing local users to bypass normal access controls that should restrict environment variable access to processes they do not own.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the specific argument combination "auxewww" which modifies the ps command's output format and access behavior. When executed with these parameters, the ps command fails to properly sanitize its output or enforce proper access controls, enabling attackers to view environment variables that typically should remain protected. This represents a classic case of insufficient privilege separation where the command does not adequately verify the requesting user's permissions before exposing process metadata. The flaw operates at the system call level where process information is accessed through kernel interfaces, and the lack of proper access control checks allows unauthorized data extraction from processes owned by different users or system services.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability creates a serious security risk for HP Tru64 UNIX systems as it enables local attackers to gather sensitive information that could be used for privilege escalation or further exploitation. Environment variables often contain configuration data, database connection strings, cryptographic keys, or other sensitive parameters that could compromise system security if exposed to unauthorized users. The vulnerability essentially provides a reconnaissance mechanism that allows attackers to map running processes and their associated environment contexts, potentially revealing credentials or system configurations that could be leveraged for more sophisticated attacks. This type of information disclosure aligns with attack patterns documented in the attack technique matrix under techniques related to information gathering and reconnaissance activities.
The vulnerability directly maps to CWE-200, which addresses "Information Exposure," and represents a failure in proper access control mechanisms within system utilities. It also correlates with techniques found in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under T1057 "Process Discovery" and T1082 "System Information Discovery" where adversaries gather information about running processes and system configuration. Organizations running HP Tru64 UNIX systems should implement immediate mitigations including restricting access to the ps command for non-privileged users, applying available security patches from HP, and implementing monitoring for unusual ps command usage patterns. System administrators should also consider implementing additional access controls through discretionary access control mechanisms to limit who can execute ps with potentially dangerous argument combinations. The vulnerability underscores the importance of proper privilege separation in system utilities and highlights the need for comprehensive security testing of core Unix utilities that handle process information access.