CVE-2012-0433 in Crowbar
Summary
by MITRE
The install-chef-suse.sh script shipped with crowbar before 2012-10-02 is creating files containing confidential data with insecure permissions, allowing local users to read confidential data.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/22/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2012-0433 affects the crowbar infrastructure management platform, specifically targeting the install-chef-suse.sh script distributed with versions prior to October 2, 2012. This issue represents a classic privilege escalation and information disclosure vulnerability that arises from improper file permission handling during the installation process. The script, designed to automate the deployment of Chef configuration management tools on SUSE Linux systems, inadvertently creates sensitive files with overly permissive access controls, exposing confidential data to unauthorized local users.
The technical flaw manifests in the script's failure to properly set file permissions when generating configuration files and credential storage locations. During the installation process, the script creates files containing administrative credentials, system configuration parameters, and other sensitive information without establishing appropriate access controls. These files typically receive world-readable permissions, allowing any local user on the system to access the contents through standard file system operations. The vulnerability stems from a lack of proper security considerations in the installation automation process, where the script assumes that all generated files should be accessible to all users rather than implementing least privilege access controls.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as local users with minimal privileges can gain access to administrative credentials and system configuration details that could facilitate further attacks. Attackers could leverage this access to escalate privileges, modify system configurations, or extract sensitive information that might be used in subsequent attacks against the broader infrastructure. The vulnerability is particularly concerning in multi-tenant environments or shared computing systems where multiple users have access to the same physical hardware. This issue directly relates to CWE-732, which describes improper limitation of a pathname to a restricted directory, and CWE-276, which covers incorrect permission assignment. The vulnerability also aligns with ATT&CK technique T1003 for Credential Dumping and T1059 for Command and Scripting Interpreter, as it provides attackers with access to credential files that could be used for further exploitation.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2012-0433 require immediate attention through patching the affected crowbar installation with the corrected version released on October 2, 2012, which properly implements secure file permission handling. System administrators should conduct thorough inventory checks to identify all systems running vulnerable versions of crowbar and ensure complete remediation through official updates. Additionally, organizations should implement automated monitoring to detect any unauthorized file access patterns and establish proper file permission auditing procedures. The fix typically involves modifying the installation script to explicitly set restrictive permissions on generated files, ensuring that only authorized users or processes can access sensitive data. Organizations should also consider implementing additional security controls such as file integrity monitoring and access control lists to provide defense-in-depth against similar vulnerabilities in the future.