CVE-2007-6717 in AIX
Summary
by MITRE
Buffer overflow in tftp in bos.net.tcp.client in IBM AIX 5.2.0 and 5.3.0 allows local users to gain privileges via unspecified vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/02/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2007-6717 represents a critical buffer overflow flaw within the tftp component of IBM AIX operating systems version 5.2.0 and 5.3.0. This issue resides within the bos.net.tcp.client package which provides network transport services including the Trivial File Transfer Protocol implementation. The buffer overflow occurs when processing certain network requests or data inputs through the tftp service, creating an exploitable condition that can be leveraged by local attackers to escalate their privileges within the system.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and memory management within the tftp client implementation. When the system processes malformed or excessively large data packets, the buffer allocated for handling these transfers becomes overflowed, potentially overwriting adjacent memory locations including return addresses and control data. This memory corruption can be manipulated by an attacker to redirect program execution flow, ultimately enabling privilege escalation from a standard user account to a root or administrative level. The vulnerability's classification as a local privilege escalation issue indicates that exploitation requires local system access, though the impact remains severe as it can lead to complete system compromise.
From an operational standpoint, this vulnerability presents significant risks to IBM AIX environments where tftp services are actively used for network booting, firmware updates, or system administration tasks. The local nature of the exploit means that attackers must first gain access to a system account, but once achieved, they can leverage this weakness to elevate their privileges without requiring additional authentication mechanisms. This makes the vulnerability particularly dangerous in environments where multiple users have legitimate local access or where accounts may be compromised through other attack vectors. The impact extends beyond simple privilege escalation as it can potentially allow attackers to establish persistent access, modify system files, or exfiltrate sensitive data from the compromised system.
Organizations should prioritize immediate patching of affected IBM AIX systems to address this vulnerability, as the exploitation of such a flaw can lead to complete system compromise and unauthorized access to sensitive corporate data. System administrators should also implement monitoring controls to detect unusual tftp activity and ensure that unnecessary tftp services are disabled. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, which covers stack-based buffer overflow conditions, and represents a classic example of how improper input validation can create security weaknesses. From an attack perspective, this vulnerability could be categorized under the privilege escalation tactics in the MITRE ATT&CK framework, specifically targeting the execution and privilege escalation phases of an attack lifecycle. Regular security assessments and network segmentation strategies should be implemented to minimize the potential impact of such local privilege escalation vulnerabilities in enterprise environments.