CVE-2013-1030 in Mac OS X
Summary
by MITRE
mdmclient in Mobile Device Management in Apple Mac OS X before 10.8.5 places a password on the command line, which allows local users to obtain sensitive information by listing the process.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/25/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2013-1030 resides within the mdmclient component of Apple Mac OS X operating systems prior to version 10.8.5. This flaw represents a critical security oversight in how the mobile device management client handles authentication credentials during command execution. The mdmclient utility is responsible for facilitating communication between macOS devices and mobile device management servers, enabling enterprise administrators to configure and manage device settings remotely. When this utility executes commands that require authentication, it inadvertently exposes password credentials in the command line arguments, creating an exploitable condition that compromises the confidentiality of sensitive authentication data.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from improper handling of command-line arguments containing sensitive information. When mdmclient executes administrative commands requiring password authentication, the password is passed as a direct argument to the command line interface rather than being handled through secure credential management mechanisms. This design flaw allows any local user on the system to enumerate running processes and inspect the command line parameters of active processes, thereby extracting the plaintext password from the command line arguments. The vulnerability specifically affects the macOS operating system's Mobile Device Management framework, which is commonly used in enterprise environments where device management and security policies are enforced through centralized management solutions.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple credential exposure, as it provides attackers with the means to escalate privileges and gain unauthorized access to managed devices. Local users who can enumerate processes can easily extract authentication credentials that may be used to access enterprise management servers, potentially enabling lateral movement within network environments. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-255, which addresses improper handling of credentials, and represents a significant weakness in the principle of least privilege enforcement. The exposure of passwords through command line arguments creates a vector for privilege escalation attacks and undermines the security posture of managed devices, particularly in enterprise settings where device management is critical for maintaining security controls.
Security professionals should implement multiple layers of mitigation to address this vulnerability effectively. The primary remediation involves upgrading affected macOS systems to version 10.8.5 or later, where Apple has addressed the command-line credential handling issue through improved credential management practices. Organizations should also consider implementing process monitoring solutions that can detect and alert on suspicious command-line argument patterns, particularly those containing authentication tokens or passwords. Additionally, system administrators should enforce strict access controls and privilege separation to limit local user access to systems where such vulnerabilities may exist. The mitigation strategy should align with ATT&CK technique T1059.003 for command and scripting interpreter, as attackers may leverage process enumeration capabilities to extract credentials. Organizations should also review their mobile device management policies to ensure that authentication credentials are not unnecessarily exposed in command-line interfaces and that secure credential handling mechanisms are properly implemented throughout their enterprise management infrastructure.