CVE-2014-2591 in Patrol Agent
Summary
by MITRE
Untrusted search path vulnerability in BMC Patrol for AIX 3.9.00 allows local users to gain privileges via a crafted library, related to an incorrect RPATH setting.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/21/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-2591 represents a critical untrusted search path issue within BMC Patrol for AIX version 3.9.00, fundamentally compromising system security through improper library loading mechanisms. This flaw specifically manifests in the application's handling of the RPATH environment variable, which controls the order in which shared libraries are searched during program execution. When an application fails to properly validate or sanitize the RPATH setting, it creates an exploitable condition where malicious actors can manipulate the library loading sequence to execute arbitrary code with elevated privileges.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the application's failure to properly restrict library search paths, creating a scenario where attacker-controlled libraries can be loaded before legitimate system libraries. This misconfiguration allows local users to place malicious shared object files in directories that are searched before the intended library locations, effectively enabling privilege escalation attacks. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it requires no special privileges to exploit, as the malicious library can be loaded through normal application execution paths that are already trusted by the system's security model.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents significant risk to organizations running BMC Patrol for AIX, as it transforms a local user account into a potential privilege escalation vector. The attack surface is particularly concerning in environments where BMC Patrol is installed with elevated privileges or where local users may have access to systems running this monitoring software. The impact extends beyond simple privilege escalation, as successful exploitation could allow attackers to gain unauthorized access to sensitive monitoring data, manipulate system configurations, or establish persistent backdoors within the monitored infrastructure.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-428, which specifically addresses untrusted search path conditions, and demonstrates characteristics consistent with ATT&CK technique T1068, which covers privilege escalation through local exploitation. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including patching the application to properly configure RPATH settings, removing or restricting write access to directories in the library search path, and implementing proper privilege separation for monitoring applications. Additionally, system administrators should conduct thorough audits of library search paths and consider implementing runtime application self-protection mechanisms to prevent unauthorized library loading. The remediation process should also include regular security assessments of third-party applications to identify similar untrusted search path vulnerabilities that could compromise system integrity and availability.