CVE-2008-7170 in GSC
Summary
by MITRE
GSC build 2067 and earlier relies on the client to enforce administrator privileges, which allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary administrator commands via a crafted packet.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/01/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2008-7170 affects GSC build 2067 and earlier versions where the system architecture incorrectly delegates privilege enforcement to the client component rather than maintaining centralized administrative controls. This architectural flaw creates a critical security weakness in the authentication and authorization mechanisms that govern administrative operations within the GSC environment. The design decision to rely on client-side enforcement of administrator privileges fundamentally undermines the security model by assuming that client systems can be trusted to properly validate and enforce access controls that should be centrally managed and verified.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the failure to implement proper server-side validation of administrative commands. When remote attackers craft malicious packets designed to execute administrative operations, the system's client-side components do not adequately verify the authenticity and authorization status of the commands being submitted. This allows attackers to bypass normal administrative access controls and execute arbitrary commands with elevated privileges simply by sending specially crafted network packets. The vulnerability represents a classic case of insufficient input validation and privilege escalation, where the system assumes that legitimate administrative commands can be distinguished from malicious ones based solely on client-side checks rather than robust server-side verification mechanisms.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability enables remote code execution with administrator privileges, providing attackers with extensive control over the affected system. The implications extend beyond simple command execution to include potential data exfiltration, system compromise, and lateral movement within network environments. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to establish persistent access, modify system configurations, install malicious software, or conduct reconnaissance activities that would otherwise require direct administrative access. The remote nature of the exploit means that attackers can target vulnerable systems from anywhere on the network, making this vulnerability particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where administrative services are often exposed to external networks.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-284, which addresses improper access control, and represents a failure to implement proper privilege separation between client and server components. According to ATT&CK framework, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving privilege escalation and remote code execution, specifically targeting the T1059.007 and T1068 attack patterns where adversaries gain access to systems with elevated privileges. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including patching to the latest GSC build versions, implementing network segmentation to restrict access to administrative services, and deploying intrusion detection systems to monitor for suspicious packet patterns. Additionally, organizations should review their administrative access controls and implement multi-factor authentication for administrative accounts to reduce the impact of potential exploitation attempts.