CVE-2012-3457 in PNP4Nagios
Summary
by MITRE
PNP4Nagios 0.6 through 0.6.16 uses world-readable permissions for process_perfdata.cfg, which allows local users to obtain the Gearman shared secret by reading the file.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/07/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2012-3457 affects PNP4Nagios versions 0.6 through 0.6.16, presenting a critical security flaw related to improper file permissions. This issue stems from the application's failure to properly secure sensitive configuration files, specifically process_perfdata.cfg, which is created with world-readable permissions. The vulnerability falls under the category of improper file permissions as classified by CWE-732, where inadequate access control mechanisms allow unauthorized users to read sensitive information. The affected system components include the PNP4Nagios monitoring framework, which relies on Gearman for distributed processing tasks, making the exposure of the shared secret particularly dangerous for system security.
The technical flaw manifests when the process_perfdata.cfg file is generated during the PNP4Nagios configuration process, containing the Gearman shared secret that serves as the authentication mechanism for distributed monitoring tasks. This configuration file is created with permissions that allow any local user on the system to read its contents, effectively bypassing normal access controls. The vulnerability represents a direct violation of the principle of least privilege, where sensitive authentication credentials are exposed to all local users without proper authorization checks. This flaw enables local privilege escalation scenarios and provides attackers with the means to compromise the distributed monitoring infrastructure that relies on Gearman for processing performance data.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as the Gearman shared secret can be leveraged to gain unauthorized access to the distributed monitoring system. An attacker with local access can utilize this secret to submit jobs to the Gearman server, potentially leading to arbitrary code execution or modification of monitoring data. This compromises the integrity and availability of the monitoring infrastructure, which is critical for system administration and security operations. The vulnerability affects organizations that depend on PNP4Nagios for performance monitoring, as it undermines the trust model of their distributed monitoring architecture and exposes them to potential attacks that could go undetected for extended periods.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate implementation of proper file permission controls to prevent unauthorized access to sensitive configuration files. System administrators should ensure that process_perfdata.cfg and similar configuration files are created with restrictive permissions, typically limiting access to the specific user or group that requires the file. The recommended approach involves setting file permissions to 600 or 640, ensuring that only the owner or designated administrators can read the file contents. Additionally, regular security audits should verify that configuration files maintain appropriate access controls and that no new files are created with world-readable permissions. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078 which covers valid accounts and privilege escalation through access to sensitive system information. Organizations should also consider implementing automated monitoring solutions to detect and alert on unauthorized file access attempts, providing additional layers of defense against similar vulnerabilities in the future.