CVE-2014-0246 in SOSreport
Summary
by MITRE
SOSreport stores the md5 hash of the GRUB bootloader password in an archive, which allows local users to obtain sensitive information by reading the archive.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/22/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-0246 resides within the sosreport utility, a critical system diagnostic tool used extensively in enterprise environments for collecting system information during troubleshooting and support operations. This flaw represents a significant information disclosure vulnerability that directly impacts the security posture of systems relying on sosreport for diagnostic data collection. The vulnerability specifically affects how sosreport handles the storage of cryptographic hashes within its generated archives, creating an unintended exposure of sensitive system components. The issue manifests when sosreport collects and archives system configuration data, including information related to the GRUB bootloader, which contains security-relevant components that should remain protected from unauthorized access.
The technical flaw stems from improper handling of the GRUB bootloader password hash within the sosreport archive generation process. When sosreport executes its diagnostic collection routines, it inadvertently includes the MD5 hash of the GRUB bootloader password in the generated archive file. This occurs because the tool does not properly sanitize or exclude sensitive cryptographic information from the collected data, treating the password hash as ordinary configuration data rather than as a security-sensitive component requiring protection. The vulnerability operates at the data collection and archival level, where the tool's default behavior includes potentially dangerous information in its output without proper access controls or security filtering. This flaw directly violates security best practices for system diagnostics, where sensitive information should be explicitly excluded from diagnostic data to prevent unauthorized access to system security components.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it provides local attackers with direct access to cryptographic hashes that could potentially be exploited in further attacks. An attacker with local access to a system running sosreport could extract the archive containing the MD5 hash and subsequently attempt to crack or reverse-engineer the password, potentially gaining unauthorized access to system boot processes. This vulnerability creates a pathway for privilege escalation attacks where attackers can leverage the exposed password hash to compromise system integrity and availability. The impact is particularly concerning in enterprise environments where sosreport is frequently used for system support and troubleshooting, as the archive files may be stored in locations accessible to multiple users or transmitted across networks, amplifying the potential exposure. The vulnerability also undermines the principle of least privilege, as it allows unauthorized access to information that should remain protected within the system's security boundaries.
The vulnerability can be mapped to CWE-200, which describes "Information Exposure" and specifically addresses situations where information that should be protected is exposed to unauthorized actors. Additionally, this issue aligns with ATT&CK technique T1552.001, "Credentials in Files," which covers methods of obtaining credentials from files on a compromised system. The flaw also demonstrates characteristics of privilege escalation through information gathering, as the exposed hash could enable attackers to bypass authentication mechanisms in the boot process. Organizations should implement proper access controls and file permissions on sosreport archive files to prevent unauthorized access. System administrators should configure sosreport to exclude sensitive data from archives, particularly cryptographic hashes and authentication information. Regular security audits should verify that diagnostic tools do not inadvertently expose sensitive system information, and that proper data sanitization processes are implemented within automated diagnostic workflows. The vulnerability highlights the importance of secure configuration management and the need for comprehensive security reviews of system diagnostic tools to prevent similar exposures in other components.