CVE-2012-0860 in Enterprise Virtualization Manager
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple untrusted search path vulnerabilities in Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization Manager (RHEV-M) before 3.1, when adding a host, allow local users to gain privileges via a Trojan horse (1) deployUtil.py or (2) vds_bootstrap.py Python module in /tmp/.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/21/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2012-0860 represents a critical privilege escalation flaw within Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization Manager version 3.1 and earlier. This issue stems from insecure direct object reference vulnerabilities that occur during the host addition process in the virtualization management environment. The flaw specifically affects the deployment utility scripts that are executed during host integration, creating a dangerous condition where local attackers can manipulate the system's execution path to gain elevated privileges. The vulnerability operates through a classic untrusted search path attack vector where the system fails to properly validate or sanitize the execution environment for critical Python modules.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability exploits the lack of proper path validation in the RHEV-M deployment process. When administrators add new hosts to the virtualization environment, the system attempts to execute deployUtil.py and vds_bootstrap.py Python modules located in the /tmp/ directory. Due to insufficient security controls, these modules are executed with elevated privileges without proper verification of their authenticity or origin. Attackers can leverage this by placing malicious versions of these Python scripts in the /tmp/ directory, which are then executed by the privileged process, thereby enabling local users to escalate their privileges to the level of the virtualization manager service. This represents a fundamental failure in input validation and execution environment security.
The operational impact of CVE-2012-0860 is severe and far-reaching within enterprise virtualization environments. Once exploited, the vulnerability allows attackers to gain unauthorized access to the complete virtualization management infrastructure, potentially compromising all virtual machines and host systems under management. The attack requires only local access to the system, making it particularly dangerous in environments where physical or logical access is not adequately restricted. The privilege escalation capability undermines the entire security model of the virtualization platform, as the attacker can subsequently manipulate virtual machine configurations, access sensitive data, and potentially establish persistent backdoors within the virtualized environment. This vulnerability directly aligns with CWE-427 and CWE-428, which address uncontrolled search path and insecure library loading conditions.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including patching to RHEV-M version 3.1 or later, which resolves the untrusted search path vulnerabilities. System administrators must also enforce strict permissions on the /tmp/ directory and implement monitoring for unauthorized file modifications in critical system locations. The mitigation strategy should include regular security audits of the virtualization management environment and implementation of privilege separation controls. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing the principle of least privilege for all system components and ensure that deployment scripts are executed from secure, non-writable directories. This vulnerability demonstrates the importance of secure coding practices and proper input validation in enterprise security systems, aligning with ATT&CK technique T1068 for local privilege escalation and T1548 for privilege escalation through service manipulation.