CVE-2012-1053 in Puppet Enterprise Users
Summary
by MITRE
The change_user method in the SUIDManager (lib/puppet/util/suidmanager.rb) in Puppet 2.6.x before 2.6.14 and 2.7.x before 2.7.11, and Puppet Enterprise (PE) Users 1.0, 1.1, 1.2.x, 2.0.x before 2.0.3 does not properly manage group privileges, which allows local users to gain privileges via vectors related to (1) the change_user not dropping supplementary groups in certain conditions, (2) changes to the eguid without associated changes to the egid, or (3) the addition of the real gid to supplementary groups.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/03/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2012-1053 resides within the SUIDManager component of Puppet configuration management software, specifically affecting versions prior to 2.6.14 and 2.7.11 in the open source distribution, as well as various versions of Puppet Enterprise. This issue manifests in the change_user method implementation within lib/puppet/util/suidmanager.rb, which governs how the system handles user privilege changes and group management during execution. The flaw represents a critical security weakness that undermines the fundamental principle of least privilege enforcement within the Puppet framework, creating potential pathways for privilege escalation attacks.
The technical implementation flaw stems from improper group privilege management during user context switching operations. When the change_user method executes, it fails to consistently drop supplementary groups in specific operational conditions, leaving processes running with elevated group memberships that should have been revoked. Additionally, the vulnerability encompasses scenarios where effective group user identifiers (eguid) are modified without corresponding updates to effective group identifier (egid) values, creating a mismatch that can be exploited by malicious actors. The third vector involves the inadvertent addition of real group identifiers to supplementary groups, which further expands the attack surface by maintaining unnecessary group memberships beyond the scope of intended operations.
This vulnerability directly impacts the security posture of systems managed by Puppet, as it enables local attackers to escalate their privileges from standard user accounts to higher-privileged positions. The operational consequences are significant since Puppet typically runs with elevated privileges to manage system configurations, making any flaw in its privilege management code particularly dangerous. Attackers can leverage these conditions to gain access to resources, files, and system functions that would normally be restricted to administrators or specific service accounts, potentially leading to complete system compromise.
From a cybersecurity framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to CWE-257, which addresses the storage of sensitive information in a reversible format, and CWE-276, concerning insecure default permissions. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this under privilege escalation techniques, specifically targeting the T1068 - Exploitation for Privilege Escalation tactic. The vulnerability also aligns with the principle of least privilege violations as outlined in NIST SP 800-53, where proper privilege management is essential for maintaining system integrity. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including upgrading to patched versions of Puppet, reviewing and hardening group membership configurations, and conducting comprehensive security audits of Puppet-managed systems to identify and remediate any lingering privilege issues.
The remediation strategy requires organizations to update their Puppet installations to versions 2.6.14 or later for 2.6.x releases, 2.7.11 or later for 2.7.x releases, and appropriate PE versions to address the specific group management flaws. System administrators should also implement regular security assessments of Puppet configurations, particularly focusing on user and group privilege assignments, and establish monitoring procedures to detect anomalous privilege escalation attempts. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing additional security controls such as mandatory access controls and privilege separation mechanisms to reduce the impact of such vulnerabilities even when present in the system.