CVE-2008-5104 in VMBuilder
Summary
by MITRE
Ubuntu 6.06 LTS, 7.10, 8.04 LTS, and 8.10, when installed as a virtual machine by (1) python-vm-builder or (2) ubuntu-vm-builder in VMBuilder 0.9 in Ubuntu 8.10, have ! (exclamation point) as the default root password, which allows attackers to bypass intended login restrictions.
VulDB is the best source for vulnerability data and more expert information about this specific topic.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/04/2019
This vulnerability exists in Ubuntu 6.06 LTS, 7.10, 8.04 LTS, and 8.10 virtual machine installations created using python-vm-builder or ubuntu-vm-builder in VMBuilder 0.9. The flaw stems from the default configuration of virtual machine root accounts where the password is set to a single exclamation point character. This represents a critical security misconfiguration that directly violates fundamental security principles of credential management and access control. The vulnerability has been categorized under CWE-798 as the use of hard-coded credentials, specifically a default password that remains unchanged in production environments. From an operational perspective, this weakness creates an immediate and severe risk for any virtual machine deployed using these builder tools, as it provides attackers with a known credential that bypasses all intended authentication mechanisms and login restrictions. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078.004 which covers legitimate credentials obtained through default accounts, making it particularly dangerous in environments where virtual machines are deployed without proper security hardening. The impact extends beyond simple unauthorized access as it allows attackers to gain root privileges and execute arbitrary commands on the compromised system, effectively providing complete control over the virtual machine. The flaw is particularly concerning because it affects multiple Ubuntu releases and occurs during the automated virtual machine provisioning process, meaning that any system administrator using these tools without manual password configuration is automatically exposed to this risk. The vulnerability demonstrates a failure in the principle of least privilege and proper credential lifecycle management, where default system configurations do not adequately consider security implications in automated deployment scenarios. Attackers can exploit this weakness through simple authentication attempts using the exclamation point as the root password, bypassing all authentication mechanisms and gaining immediate administrative access to the virtual machine. This vulnerability has been classified as a default credential weakness that has been exploited in various real-world scenarios where virtual machines were deployed without proper security hardening. The remediation involves ensuring that all virtual machine deployments using these builder tools implement proper password configuration during the provisioning process, typically by requiring explicit password specification rather than relying on default values. System administrators should also implement automated security checks to verify that deployed virtual machines do not contain default credentials, and should follow security best practices for credential management as outlined in NIST SP 800-123 and other security frameworks. The vulnerability highlights the importance of proper security configuration management in automated deployment environments and the critical need for developers of provisioning tools to implement secure defaults that do not compromise system security.