CVE-2009-0489 in Wicd
Summary
by MITRE
The DBus configuration file for Wicd before 1.5.9 allows arbitrary users to own org.wicd.daemon, which allows local users to receive messages that were intended for the Wicd daemon, possibly including credentials.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/27/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2009-0489 represents a critical security flaw in the Wicd network management tool's D-Bus configuration implementation. This issue affects versions prior to 1.5.9 and stems from improper access control mechanisms within the D-Bus service configuration files. The flaw specifically relates to the org.wicd.daemon D-Bus service name ownership, which allows any local user to claim ownership of this privileged service identifier. This misconfiguration creates a fundamental breach in the principle of least privilege that governs secure service communication in Linux environments.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the D-Bus message bus system's service name registration mechanism. In properly configured systems, only the legitimate Wicd daemon should be able to own the org.wicd.daemon service name, ensuring that only authorized processes can receive and process messages intended for the network management daemon. However, the vulnerable configuration allows any local user to register this service name, effectively enabling malicious users to intercept and potentially access sensitive communications. This type of flaw aligns with CWE-264, which addresses permissions, privileges, and access control issues in software systems.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation to encompass potential credential theft and service disruption. When local users can own the org.wicd.daemon service name, they gain the ability to receive all messages sent to this service, including those containing authentication credentials, network configuration data, and other sensitive information that the legitimate Wicd daemon would normally process. This creates a man-in-the-middle scenario where unauthorized users can monitor, modify, or intercept network management communications. The vulnerability also falls under ATT&CK technique T1068, which covers local privilege escalation through service configuration manipulation.
Security implications of this vulnerability are particularly severe in multi-user environments where users may have different privilege levels or where network management tools handle sensitive connection information. The attack vector is relatively straightforward, requiring only local access to register the D-Bus service name and begin intercepting communications. This makes the vulnerability exploitable in scenarios where attackers have basic user access but wish to escalate privileges or extract sensitive network information. The vulnerability demonstrates poor adherence to security best practices in service configuration and D-Bus access control management, highlighting the importance of proper service isolation and message bus security configuration.
The recommended mitigation strategy involves updating to Wicd version 1.5.9 or later, which contains the corrected D-Bus configuration that properly restricts service name ownership to the legitimate daemon process. Additionally, system administrators should implement proper D-Bus access controls using D-Bus policy files that restrict which users or processes can own specific service names. This vulnerability underscores the critical importance of proper service configuration management and demonstrates how seemingly minor configuration errors can lead to significant security compromises in network management tools. Organizations should also implement regular security audits of D-Bus configurations and service permissions to prevent similar issues from arising in other applications.