CVE-2007-4305 in sudo
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple race conditions in the (1) Sudo monitor mode and (2) Sysjail policies in Systrace on NetBSD and OpenBSD allow local users to defeat system call interposition, and consequently bypass access control policy and auditing.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/09/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2007-4305 represents a critical security flaw in the Systrace framework implementation across NetBSD and OpenBSD operating systems. This issue manifests through race conditions that occur in two distinct components of the system: the Sudo monitor mode and the Sysjail policies. These race conditions create exploitable timing windows that allow local attackers to circumvent fundamental security mechanisms designed to control system call execution and enforce access control policies. The flaw fundamentally undermines the integrity of the system call interposition mechanism that Systrace relies upon for its security model.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from improper synchronization mechanisms within the Systrace subsystem during critical operations. When Sudo operates in monitor mode or when Sysjail policies are enforced, the system fails to properly coordinate access to shared resources and state information. This lack of proper locking mechanisms creates temporal gaps where malicious code can execute between the time a security check is initiated and when it is completed. The race condition allows an attacker to manipulate the system's state during these brief windows, effectively enabling them to bypass the intended restrictions on system calls and access controls. This type of vulnerability is classified as a race condition under CWE-362, which specifically addresses concurrent execution issues that can lead to security flaws.
The operational impact of CVE-2007-4305 is severe and far-reaching within the affected operating systems. Local users who exploit this vulnerability can gain unauthorized access to system resources that should otherwise be restricted by the Systrace policies. The bypass of system call interposition means that attackers can execute prohibited system calls and potentially escalate their privileges or access sensitive data without detection. This weakness directly violates the principle of least privilege and undermines the audit capabilities that Systrace is designed to provide. The vulnerability affects the core security architecture of these Unix-like systems, potentially allowing attackers to circumvent multiple layers of security controls that are meant to protect against unauthorized system access and privilege escalation.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate system updates and patches from the respective operating system vendors. System administrators should ensure that all NetBSD and OpenBSD installations are updated to versions that contain fixes for the race condition issues in Systrace. Additionally, organizations should implement comprehensive monitoring and auditing procedures to detect any potential exploitation attempts. The implementation of proper access control lists and the restriction of local user privileges can help minimize the impact if exploitation occurs. From a defensive perspective, this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1068, which involves exploiting local system privileges to bypass security controls, and demonstrates the importance of maintaining robust synchronization mechanisms in security-critical code paths. Organizations should also consider implementing additional security measures such as mandatory access controls and enhanced logging to detect unauthorized system call execution patterns that might indicate exploitation of similar timing-based vulnerabilities.