CVE-2007-4390 in Adonis
Summary
by MITRE
The Command Line Interface (CLI), aka Adonis Administration Console, on the BlueCat Networks Adonis DNS/DHCP appliance 5.0.2.8 allows local admin users to gain root privileges on the underlying operating system via shell metacharacters in a command.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/29/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2007-4390 represents a critical privilege escalation flaw within the BlueCat Networks Adonis DNS/DHCP appliance version 5.0.2.8. This issue affects the Command Line Interface component, commonly referred to as the Adonis Administration Console, which serves as the primary management interface for administering the network infrastructure. The vulnerability specifically targets local administrative users who possess legitimate access credentials to the system, creating a significant security risk as these users can leverage the flaw to elevate their privileges to the root level of the underlying operating system.
The technical exploitation mechanism of this vulnerability relies on improper input validation within the CLI implementation. When local administrative users execute commands through the Adonis Administration Console, the system fails to adequately sanitize user-supplied input before processing it within the shell environment. This lack of proper input sanitization allows attackers to inject shell metacharacters such as semicolons, pipes, or command substitution operators directly into command parameters. These metacharacters are then interpreted by the underlying shell, enabling arbitrary command execution with elevated privileges. The vulnerability stems from the system's failure to properly escape or filter special shell characters, creating a classic command injection vulnerability that operates at the interface between the application layer and the operating system shell.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation, as it provides attackers with complete control over the appliance's underlying operating system. Once an attacker successfully exploits this vulnerability, they gain root-level access to the entire system, enabling them to modify critical system files, install malicious software, access all network traffic, and potentially use the compromised appliance as a pivot point for attacking other systems within the network. This privilege escalation capability fundamentally undermines the security model of the appliance, as it allows attackers to bypass all other security controls and access mechanisms that would normally protect the system from unauthorized access. The vulnerability is particularly concerning in network infrastructure environments where DNS/DHCP appliances serve as critical components that control network access and communication.
From a cybersecurity framework perspective, this vulnerability maps directly to CWE-78, which describes "Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in an OS Command ('OS Command Injection')", and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.004 for "Command and Scripting Interpreter: PowerShell" and T1068 for "Exploitation for Privilege Escalation." The vulnerability demonstrates a failure in input validation and sanitization practices that violates fundamental security principles. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying the vendor-provided security patches, implementing network segmentation to limit access to administrative interfaces, and monitoring for suspicious command execution patterns. Additionally, the principle of least privilege should be enforced by restricting administrative access to only necessary personnel and implementing multi-factor authentication for administrative accounts. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of proper input validation and output encoding in all application components that interact with system-level commands, emphasizing the need for secure coding practices that prevent such injection vulnerabilities from occurring in the first place.