CVE-2007-2798 in Kerberos
Summary
by MITRE
Stack-based buffer overflow in the rename_principal_2_svc function in kadmind for MIT Kerberos 1.5.3, 1.6.1, and other versions allows remote authenticated users to execute arbitrary code via a crafted request to rename a principal.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/13/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2007-2798 represents a critical stack-based buffer overflow flaw within the kadmind service component of MIT Kerberos software versions 1.5.3 and 1.6.1. This issue resides in the rename_principal_2_svc function which handles principal renaming operations within the Kerberos administration system. The vulnerability specifically affects the authentication and authorization infrastructure that underpins secure network communications, making it particularly dangerous as it can be exploited by remote authenticated attackers who possess valid credentials within the Kerberos environment.
The technical implementation of this buffer overflow occurs when the kadmind service processes a maliciously crafted request to rename a Kerberos principal. The rename_principal_2_svc function fails to properly validate or constrain the length of input data provided in the rename request, allowing an attacker to overflow the allocated stack buffer and potentially overwrite adjacent memory locations. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-121 Stack-based Buffer Overflow, which is classified as a fundamental memory safety issue that has been consistently identified as one of the most prevalent and dangerous classes of software vulnerabilities in cybersecurity. The flaw enables attackers to manipulate the program execution flow by overwriting return addresses or other critical stack variables, potentially leading to arbitrary code execution.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple code execution, as it can be leveraged to compromise entire Kerberos realms and the security infrastructure they protect. Since kadmind serves as a critical component in Kerberos administration, successful exploitation could allow attackers to manipulate principal accounts, potentially leading to privilege escalation within the authentication system. The vulnerability affects systems where MIT Kerberos is deployed for network authentication, including enterprise networks, cloud environments, and any infrastructure relying on Kerberos for secure service authentication. Attackers who can authenticate to the Kerberos system but do not have administrative privileges could exploit this weakness to gain elevated access and potentially compromise the entire authentication infrastructure. This aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078.002 for Valid Accounts and T1068 for Exploitation for Privilege Escalation, as the vulnerability requires only authenticated access but can lead to elevated privileges.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2007-2798 should include immediate patching of affected MIT Kerberos versions to the latest available releases that contain fixes for this buffer overflow vulnerability. Organizations should also implement network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure of kadmind services to untrusted networks, while monitoring for suspicious authentication patterns and principal renaming activities. Additionally, security teams should conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments to identify all instances of affected Kerberos versions within their infrastructure and ensure proper input validation is implemented in all authentication service components. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper buffer management and input validation in authentication systems, as highlighted in industry best practices for secure coding and the OWASP Top 10 security risks that emphasize injection flaws as critical threats to application security.