CVE-2009-0128 in Slurm
Summary
by MITRE
plugins/crypto/openssl/crypto_openssl.c in Simple Linux Utility for Resource Management (aka SLURM or slurm-llnl) does not properly check the return value from the OpenSSL EVP_VerifyFinal function, which allows remote attackers to bypass validation of the certificate chain via a malformed SSL/TLS signature, a similar vulnerability to CVE-2008-5077.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/28/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2009-0128 affects the Simple Linux Utility for Resource Management (SLURM) software, specifically within its OpenSSL cryptographic implementation. This flaw exists in the crypto_openssl.c file located in the plugins/crypto/openssl directory of the SLURM codebase. SLURM is widely deployed in high-performance computing environments for job scheduling and resource management, making this vulnerability particularly concerning for large-scale computational infrastructures. The vulnerability stems from improper error handling in the certificate validation process, which creates a security gap that could be exploited by malicious actors to compromise the integrity of SSL/TLS communications within the SLURM framework.
The technical flaw manifests in the failure to properly validate the return value from the OpenSSL EVP_VerifyFinal function, which is responsible for verifying digital signatures within the SSL/TLS protocol. When this function returns an error code indicating a failure in signature verification, the SLURM implementation does not adequately check this return value before proceeding with the certificate validation process. This oversight allows attackers to craft malformed SSL/TLS signatures that would normally be rejected by proper cryptographic verification but are accepted by the flawed SLURM implementation. The vulnerability operates at the cryptographic layer of the software stack, directly impacting the certificate chain validation mechanism that ensures secure communication between SLURM components.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple certificate validation failures, as it creates a potential attack vector for man-in-the-middle scenarios and unauthorized access to SLURM-managed computing resources. Attackers could exploit this weakness to present forged certificates that would be accepted by the SLURM system, potentially allowing them to intercept or manipulate communications between job schedulers, compute nodes, and other SLURM components. This vulnerability is particularly dangerous in high-performance computing environments where SLURM manages sensitive computational workloads and where maintaining the integrity of the communication channel is crucial for system security. The flaw essentially undermines the trust model that SLURM relies on for secure distributed computing operations.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-252, which describes "Unchecked Return Value" in software security contexts, and represents a classic example of insufficient error handling in cryptographic operations. The issue bears similarity to CVE-2008-5077, which demonstrated comparable weaknesses in SSL/TLS signature validation mechanisms, indicating a pattern of flawed cryptographic implementation within similar software frameworks. From an ATT&CK perspective, this vulnerability maps to T1566, "Phishing", and T1071.002, "Application Layer Protocol: File Transfer Protocol", as attackers could potentially use this weakness to establish unauthorized communication channels or manipulate data transfers within SLURM environments. The vulnerability also relates to T1583.001, "Acquire Infrastructure: DNS Servers", as compromised SLURM systems could be used to manipulate DNS resolution for broader network attacks.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate patching of the SLURM software to properly validate return values from OpenSSL cryptographic functions. System administrators should ensure that all SLURM installations are updated to versions that address this specific flaw in the crypto_openssl.c implementation. Additionally, organizations should implement network monitoring to detect unusual certificate validation patterns or attempts to establish communications with malformed SSL/TLS signatures. The remediation process should include comprehensive testing of the patched implementation to ensure that legitimate certificate validation continues to function properly while properly rejecting malformed signatures. Organizations should also consider implementing additional security controls such as certificate pinning and enhanced network segmentation to reduce the potential impact of any remaining vulnerabilities in the cryptographic infrastructure.