CVE-2007-2407 in server
Summary
by MITRE
The Samba server on Apple Mac OS X 10.3.9 and 10.4.10, when Windows file sharing is enabled, does not enforce disk quotas after dropping privileges, which allows remote authenticated users to use disk space in excess of quota.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/08/2025
The vulnerability described in CVE-2007-2407 represents a critical privilege escalation issue within the Samba implementation on Apple Mac OS X systems. This flaw specifically affects versions 10.3.9 and 10.4.10 where Windows file sharing functionality is enabled through the Samba server component. The core technical issue stems from improper privilege management during the file sharing process, where the system fails to maintain proper access controls after dropping administrative privileges. This behavior creates a persistent security gap that allows authenticated users to circumvent established disk space limitations that should normally restrict their storage usage.
The vulnerability operates through a fundamental flaw in the Samba server's privilege handling mechanism within the Mac OS X environment. When the Samba service processes file operations and subsequently drops privileges from root or administrative status, the system fails to enforce the previously established disk quota restrictions. This misconfiguration creates a scenario where users who have authenticated to the file sharing service can continue to consume disk space beyond their allocated limits without proper enforcement mechanisms. The flaw essentially creates a privilege escalation path where normal user accounts can exceed their storage quotas through legitimate file sharing operations.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability enables authenticated attackers to consume excessive disk space on affected systems, potentially leading to denial of service conditions where legitimate users cannot access storage resources. The issue is particularly concerning in multi-user environments where system administrators rely on disk quotas to manage storage allocation and prevent any single user from consuming all available disk space. The vulnerability affects the core file sharing functionality and undermines the integrity of the system's storage management policies, potentially causing system instability or complete service disruption when storage space becomes exhausted.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-264, which addresses permissions, privileges, and access controls. This weakness manifests as a failure in privilege management where the system does not properly maintain security boundaries during operation. The issue also relates to ATT&CK technique T1078 which covers valid accounts and legitimate credentials, as the vulnerability allows authenticated users to exploit their existing access privileges to gain unauthorized resource consumption capabilities. The flaw demonstrates poor separation of privileges and inadequate access control enforcement, which are fundamental security principles that should be maintained throughout all system operations.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate system updates and patches provided by Apple to address the privilege management flaw in the Samba implementation. System administrators should implement additional monitoring of disk space usage to detect anomalous consumption patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts. Network segmentation and access control measures can help limit the scope of potential exploitation, while regular auditing of file sharing activities and user access logs should be conducted to identify unauthorized usage patterns. Organizations should also consider implementing additional storage monitoring tools that can automatically alert administrators to unusual disk space consumption that exceeds normal user behavior patterns. The vulnerability underscores the importance of proper privilege management and access control enforcement in server implementations, particularly those handling file sharing operations where users may have elevated access rights.