CVE-2011-4083 in sos
Summary
by MITRE
The sosreport utility in the Red Hat sos package before 1.7-9 and 2.x before 2.2-17 includes (1) Certificate-based Red Hat Network private entitlement keys and the (2) private key for the entitlement in an archive of debugging information, which might allow remote attackers to obtain sensitive information by reading the archive.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/05/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2011-4083 represents a critical information disclosure flaw within the Red Hat sos package utility that affects systems running versions prior to 1.7-9 and 2.x versions before 2.2-17. This issue resides in the sosreport utility which is designed to collect system debugging information for troubleshooting purposes. The flaw occurs during the archival process where sensitive cryptographic materials are inadvertently included in the generated debug archives, creating a significant security risk for affected systems.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from improper handling of sensitive data within the sosreport utility. Specifically, the utility includes Certificate-based Red Hat Network private entitlement keys and their corresponding private keys within the debugging archive files it generates. This occurs because the utility does not properly filter or exclude cryptographic materials from the collected system information, treating all data equally regardless of its sensitivity level. The inclusion of these private keys in debug archives creates a direct pathway for attackers to obtain credentials that could be used to authenticate with Red Hat Network services and potentially gain unauthorized access to additional system resources.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability exposes organizations to significant risks including unauthorized access to Red Hat Network services, potential privilege escalation, and compromise of system integrity. The presence of private entitlement keys in debug archives means that any individual who gains access to these archives can potentially impersonate legitimate system administrators or service accounts. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-312 (Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information) and CWE-310 (Cryptographic Issues) categories, as it involves both the cleartext storage of sensitive cryptographic materials and the improper handling of cryptographic keys. The attack surface is particularly concerning given that sosreport archives are often shared with Red Hat support teams or stored in environments where they may be accessible to unauthorized individuals.
The mitigation strategies for CVE-2011-4083 primarily involve upgrading to the patched versions of the Red Hat sos package where versions 1.7-9 and 2.2-17 or later are installed. Organizations should also implement immediate remediation measures including reviewing existing sosreport archives for sensitive information and rotating any compromised entitlement keys. The vulnerability demonstrates characteristics consistent with ATT&CK technique T1552.001 (Unsecured Credentials) as it involves the exposure of private keys through insecure data handling practices. System administrators should also consider implementing additional controls such as restricting access to sosreport archives, implementing proper data classification policies, and ensuring that debugging information is properly sanitized before archiving. Organizations running affected versions should also conduct thorough audits of their system configurations and support archive management procedures to prevent similar issues in the future, as this vulnerability represents a failure in proper information assurance practices that could be exploited in broader attack scenarios targeting system authentication mechanisms.