CVE-2013-0293 in Node
Summary
by MITRE
oVirt Node: Lock screen accepts F2 to drop to shell causing privilege escalation
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/09/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2013-0293 affects oVirt Node, a specialized operating system designed for virtualization environments that serves as the foundation for oVirt's hypervisor implementation. This security flaw resides within the graphical user interface components of the system, specifically in how the lock screen handles keyboard input sequences. The issue manifests when a user interacts with the lock screen interface and presses the F2 function key, which unexpectedly triggers a shell access mechanism that bypasses normal authentication procedures. This represents a critical privilege escalation vulnerability that undermines the fundamental security model of the system.
The technical flaw stems from insufficient input validation and improper privilege management within the lock screen subsystem of oVirt Node. When the system processes keyboard events during screen lock, it fails to properly filter or validate function key inputs, particularly F2, which should be restricted from triggering system-level commands. The vulnerability allows an attacker who has physical access to the system or can interact with the graphical interface to bypass authentication mechanisms and gain root shell access. This occurs because the system interprets the F2 key press as a legitimate command sequence that should grant administrative privileges, rather than treating it as an unauthorized input that should be ignored or rejected.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and multifaceted, as it provides attackers with direct root access to the underlying hypervisor environment. An attacker with physical access to an oVirt Node system can exploit this vulnerability to execute arbitrary commands with the highest possible privileges, potentially leading to complete system compromise. This vulnerability particularly affects virtualization environments where physical security is not adequately enforced, as it allows unauthorized users to gain access to sensitive system resources, manipulate virtual machines, and potentially escalate their access to other connected systems within the virtual infrastructure. The impact extends beyond individual system compromise to threaten the entire virtualization platform's integrity and security posture.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on immediate system updates and configuration hardening measures. The primary solution involves applying the vendor-provided security patches that address the input validation flaw in the lock screen component. System administrators should also implement additional security controls such as disabling unnecessary keyboard shortcuts in the graphical interface, configuring proper access controls, and ensuring that physical access to systems is restricted. Organizations should consider implementing multi-factor authentication mechanisms and regular security assessments to identify similar vulnerabilities in their virtualization environments. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-254 in the Common Weakness Enumeration catalog, which addresses security weaknesses related to inadequate input validation and privilege management. The attack pattern corresponds to techniques described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under privilege escalation and defense evasion tactics, specifically targeting the exploitation of GUI-based authentication bypass mechanisms.