CVE-2012-4480 in mom
Summary
by MITRE
mom creates world-writable pid files in /var/run
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/05/2024
The vulnerability described in CVE-2012-4480 relates to the mom daemon, which is part of the Maui Cluster Management System used for job scheduling and resource management in high-performance computing environments. This flaw allows the mom process to create pid files with world-writable permissions in the /var/run directory, creating a significant security risk that can be exploited by local attackers to gain elevated privileges. The issue stems from improper permission handling during the creation of process identifier files that are essential for process management and monitoring within the cluster infrastructure.
The technical flaw occurs when the mom daemon initializes and writes its process identifier to a file in /var/run without properly setting restrictive file permissions. This results in a world-writable pid file that can be modified by any user on the system, potentially allowing malicious users to manipulate the process execution flow or overwrite critical system files. The vulnerability is classified as a privilege escalation issue where local users can leverage the world-writable permissions to compromise system integrity. This flaw directly maps to CWE-732, which addresses Incorrect Permission Assignment for Critical Resource, and represents a fundamental failure in proper access control implementation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant within HPC environments where multiple users share the same computing infrastructure. An attacker with low privileges can exploit this weakness to gain elevated system access by modifying the pid file, potentially causing the system to execute malicious code or manipulate job scheduling processes. The attack vector is straightforward and does not require network access, making it particularly dangerous in multi-user environments where users may have varying levels of access rights. This vulnerability can lead to unauthorized access to sensitive computational resources, data manipulation, or disruption of critical cluster operations that other users depend upon for their research or business processes.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2012-4480 should focus on immediate permission correction and long-term system hardening measures. System administrators should ensure that pid files are created with restrictive permissions such as 0644 or 0600, preventing world-writable access. The recommended approach includes implementing proper file permission management during daemon initialization and adding access control checks to prevent unauthorized modification of critical system files. Additionally, system monitoring should be enhanced to detect suspicious file modifications in /var/run directory, and regular security audits should verify that no world-writable files exist in critical system directories. This vulnerability demonstrates the importance of following the principle of least privilege and proper file permission management in system security practices. Organizations should also consider implementing automated security scanning tools that can identify similar permission-related vulnerabilities across their infrastructure. The remediation process should include updating the affected software to versions that properly handle file permissions, and implementing comprehensive access control policies that prevent unauthorized modification of system-critical files. This case highlights the need for continuous security assessment and proper configuration management in cluster computing environments where multiple users share system resources and where the consequences of privilege escalation can be severe.