CVE-2010-3389 in OCF Resource Agents
Summary
by MITRE
The (1) SAPDatabase and (2) SAPInstance scripts in OCF Resource Agents (aka resource-agents or cluster-agents) 1.0.3 in Linux-HA place a zero-length directory name in the LD_LIBRARY_PATH, which allows local users to gain privileges via a Trojan horse shared library in the current working directory.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/21/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2010-3389 affects the OCF Resource Agents package version 1.0.3 used in Linux-HA environments, specifically targeting the SAPDatabase and SAPInstance scripts. This flaw represents a classic privilege escalation vector that exploits improper environment variable handling within system administration scripts. The issue stems from the inclusion of a zero-length directory name within the LD_LIBRARY_PATH variable, a configuration that creates an exploitable condition where the system will search for shared libraries in the current working directory before examining standard library paths.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the manipulation of the dynamic linker's library search order through the LD_LIBRARY_PATH environment variable. When the SAPDatabase and SAPInstance scripts execute with elevated privileges, they inherit this malformed environment variable that contains an empty directory entry. This empty entry causes the dynamic linker to first examine the current working directory for required shared libraries, creating an opportunity for malicious actors to place a specially crafted Trojan horse shared library in the working directory. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it allows local users to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the running script, potentially escalating to root access depending on the script's execution context.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to enterprise environments that rely on Linux-HA clusters for high availability services. The attack requires local access to the system, making it a local privilege escalation vulnerability rather than a remote one. However, the impact is severe because these scripts typically run with elevated privileges to manage database and instance operations, making successful exploitation potentially devastating. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-427, which describes uncontrolled search path leading to library injection, and represents a specific implementation of the broader class of path traversal and library loading vulnerabilities.
The attack vector for this vulnerability follows a predictable pattern where an attacker must first gain access to a local account on the system, then place a malicious shared library in the current working directory of the running script, and finally trigger the execution of the vulnerable script. This scenario commonly occurs in environments where multiple users share administrative systems or where scripts are executed from directories that are writable by non-privileged users. The exploitation process typically requires minimal privileges but can result in full system compromise.
Security mitigations for this vulnerability should focus on proper environment variable sanitization within the affected scripts. The recommended approach involves removing empty directory entries from LD_LIBRARY_PATH before executing any privileged operations, ensuring that the library search path only contains valid directories. Organizations should also implement strict file permissions and access controls on directories containing these scripts, particularly ensuring that writable permissions are not granted to directories where these scripts execute. Additionally, the Linux-HA project should be updated to version 1.0.4 or later, which contains the necessary patches to address this specific issue. System administrators should also consider implementing monitoring for suspicious library loading patterns and conduct regular audits of environment variable configurations in privileged scripts. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper environment management in security-sensitive contexts and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1068, which covers privilege escalation through dynamic link library injection.