CVE-2011-2082 in Best Practical
Summary
by MITRE
The vulnerable-passwords script in Best Practical Solutions RT 3.x before 3.8.12 and 4.x before 4.0.6 does not update the password-hash algorithm for disabled user accounts, which makes it easier for context-dependent attackers to determine cleartext passwords, and possibly use these passwords after accounts are re-enabled, via a brute-force attack on the database. NOTE: this vulnerability exists because of an incomplete fix for CVE-2011-0009.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/03/2021
The vulnerability described in CVE-2011-2082 affects the Best Practical Solutions RT ticketing system version 3.x prior to 3.8.12 and 4.x prior to 4.0.6. This security flaw specifically targets the vulnerable-passwords script implementation that handles password hash updates for user accounts. The issue represents a significant weakness in the system's password management lifecycle, particularly concerning disabled user accounts and their subsequent re-enablement processes.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability lies in the incomplete implementation of password hash algorithm updates for disabled accounts. When user accounts are disabled within the RT system, the vulnerable-passwords script fails to properly update the stored password hashes to use the current, more secure hashing algorithms. This behavior creates a persistent security risk because the older password hashes remain in the database in a state that is more susceptible to cryptographic analysis and brute-force attacks. The vulnerability essentially maintains legacy hash representations that were vulnerable to attacks like those exploited in CVE-2011-0009, which was the previous vulnerability that this issue attempted to address but incompletely resolved.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is particularly concerning from a security perspective as it creates a window of opportunity for attackers to exploit password hashes that should have been updated but were not. Context-dependent attackers can leverage this weakness by performing brute-force attacks against the database to reverse-engineer cleartext passwords from the outdated hash representations. When disabled accounts are later re-enabled, these compromised passwords can potentially be used to gain unauthorized access to the system, creating a direct pathway for privilege escalation and unauthorized system access. The vulnerability effectively undermines the security controls that should be in place to protect user credentials during account suspension periods.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-256, which addresses "Incomplete Password Hashing" and represents a failure in proper cryptographic implementation. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this issue maps to T1110.004, which covers "Brute Force: Password Guessing" and potentially T1078.004, related to "Valid Accounts: Default Accounts." The incomplete fix for CVE-2011-0009 demonstrates a common pattern in security remediation where partial solutions leave residual vulnerabilities that attackers can exploit. Organizations using affected RT versions face increased risk of credential compromise, particularly in environments where account disabling and re-enabling occurs regularly. The remediation requires updating to versions 3.8.12 or 4.0.6, which properly implement the password hash algorithm updates for disabled accounts, ensuring that all password representations are maintained using current security standards.
The vulnerability highlights the importance of comprehensive security patch management and proper implementation of cryptographic best practices. When accounts are disabled, the system should ensure that all stored credentials are updated to use the current hashing algorithms, regardless of account status. This ensures that even temporarily disabled accounts cannot be exploited through password recovery attacks. The issue also underscores the need for thorough testing of security fixes to prevent regression vulnerabilities that can create new attack vectors while addressing existing ones. Organizations should implement immediate mitigation strategies including updating to patched versions, reviewing account disabling procedures, and monitoring for unauthorized access attempts in environments where affected systems are operational.