CVE-2007-3099 in Red Hat
Summary
by MITRE
usr/mgmt_ipc.c in iscsid in open-iscsi (iscsi-initiator-utils) before 2.0-865 checks the client s UID on the listening AF_LOCAL socket instead of the new connection, which allows remote attackers to access the management interface and cause a denial of service (iscsid exit or iSCSI connection loss).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/20/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2007-3099 resides within the iscsid component of open-iscsi, specifically in the usr/mgmt_ipc.c file where the iSCSI initiator utilities are implemented. This flaw represents a critical security oversight in the management interface authentication mechanism that affects versions prior to 2.0-865 of the iscsi-initiator-utils package. The issue stems from improper privilege escalation handling where the system fails to validate the client's identity correctly during connection establishment, creating a significant attack surface for unauthorized access to the iSCSI management interface.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability lies in the improper implementation of socket connection validation within the iSCSI daemon. When establishing management connections, the iscsid service incorrectly verifies the user identifier (UID) against the listening AF_LOCAL socket rather than against the newly established connection. This fundamental flaw allows an attacker to exploit the connection validation process by manipulating the UID check timing or context, effectively bypassing authentication mechanisms that should prevent unauthorized access to the iSCSI management interface. The vulnerability operates at the system call level where socket-based communication is handled, making it particularly dangerous as it affects the core daemon functionality that manages iSCSI sessions.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized access, as it can result in complete system disruption through denial of service conditions. Attackers who successfully exploit this vulnerability can cause the iscsid daemon to terminate unexpectedly, leading to complete loss of iSCSI connectivity and potential data access interruptions. This disruption can cascade through enterprise storage environments where iSCSI connections are critical for data availability, potentially affecting multiple systems that rely on the same storage infrastructure. The vulnerability's ability to cause daemon crashes or connection losses makes it particularly dangerous in production environments where storage availability is paramount for business operations.
The attack vector for CVE-2007-3099 aligns with the ATT&CK framework's privilege escalation and defense evasion techniques, specifically targeting the persistence and privilege escalation phases of an attack lifecycle. This vulnerability represents a classic case of improper access control implementation that maps to CWE-284, which addresses improper access control mechanisms in software systems. The flaw enables attackers to gain unauthorized administrative access to iSCSI management interfaces, potentially allowing them to modify storage configurations, initiate unauthorized connections, or disrupt existing storage sessions. Organizations implementing iSCSI storage solutions without proper patching are particularly vulnerable to this type of attack, as the exploitation requires minimal privileges and can cause significant operational disruption.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability primarily involve immediate patching of affected systems with version 2.0-865 or later of the iscsi-initiator-utils package, which contains the corrected socket validation logic. System administrators should also implement network segmentation and firewall rules to restrict access to iSCSI management interfaces, particularly when these interfaces are exposed to untrusted networks. Additional protective measures include monitoring for unauthorized access attempts to iSCSI management ports and implementing intrusion detection systems that can identify suspicious connection patterns. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of proper authentication implementation in system services, particularly those handling storage management functions that are essential for enterprise data infrastructure. Organizations should also conduct regular security assessments of their storage infrastructure components to identify similar access control flaws that could potentially compromise system integrity and availability.