CVE-2007-4564 in Cosminexus_application_server_standard
Summary
by MITRE
Cosminexus Manager in Cosminexus Application Server 07-00 and later might assign the wrong user s group permissions to logical user server processes, which allows local users to gain privileges.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/07/2018
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2007-4564 resides within the Cosminexus Application Server version 07-00 and subsequent releases, specifically affecting the Cosminexus Manager component responsible for user group permission management. This flaw represents a critical privilege escalation vulnerability that undermines the security model of the application server by allowing local users to exploit misconfigurations in the logical user server process assignment mechanism. The issue stems from improper handling of group permissions during the assignment of logical user processes, creating a scenario where unauthorized users can potentially execute operations with elevated privileges beyond their intended access levels.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves a flaw in the permission assignment logic within the Cosminexus Manager module. When logical user server processes are created or reassigned, the system fails to properly validate or enforce the correct group permissions associated with the user context. This misconfiguration allows local attackers who have access to the system to manipulate the process assignment flow and effectively gain access to resources or operations that should be restricted to higher-privileged user groups. The vulnerability operates at the operating system level where process permissions are managed, making it particularly dangerous as it can be exploited without requiring network access or complex external conditions.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to organizations relying on the Cosminexus Application Server for their business operations. Local users who can access the system can potentially escalate their privileges to gain access to sensitive data, administrative functions, or other restricted system resources. The impact extends beyond simple privilege escalation as it can enable attackers to perform unauthorized modifications to the application server configuration, access confidential information, or even compromise the integrity of the entire application stack. This vulnerability essentially creates a backdoor mechanism that bypasses the intended security controls and access management policies.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-276, which describes improper permissions and access control issues in software systems, and can be mapped to ATT&CK technique T1068, which covers "Exploitation for Privilege Escalation" in cybersecurity frameworks. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including updating to the latest version of the Cosminexus Application Server where the issue has been resolved, conducting thorough access control reviews, and implementing additional monitoring for unauthorized process assignments. System administrators should also consider implementing principle of least privilege policies and regularly auditing user group assignments to prevent exploitation of this vulnerability. The remediation process should include verifying that all logical user processes are properly assigned with correct group permissions and that no local user accounts can manipulate this assignment mechanism without proper authorization.