CVE-2014-4876 in 4690 Operating System
Summary
by MITRE
Toshiba 4690 Operating System 6 Release 3, when the ADXSITCF logical name is not properly restricted, allows remote attackers to read potentially sensitive system environment variables via a crafted request to TCP port 54138.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/22/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-4876 affects Toshiba 4690 Operating System version 6 Release 3, specifically within the ADXSITCF logical name component. This issue represents a classic privilege escalation and information disclosure vulnerability that stems from inadequate access controls and improper input validation mechanisms. The vulnerability exists in the system's network services that handle requests on TCP port 54138, which serves as the communication channel for the affected subsystem.
The technical flaw manifests through improper restriction of the ADXSITCF logical name, which allows unauthorized remote attackers to craft malicious requests that bypass normal access controls. When a specially crafted request is sent to TCP port 54138, the system fails to properly validate the incoming data or authenticate the requester, enabling the attacker to access sensitive system environment variables. This weakness directly violates fundamental security principles of least privilege and proper input sanitization, creating an attack surface that should remain protected from external access.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant as it provides remote attackers with access to potentially sensitive system environment variables that may contain configuration details, system paths, user credentials, or other information that could facilitate further attacks. The ability to read system environment variables through a remote network connection transforms a local privilege escalation opportunity into a remote information disclosure vulnerability, expanding the attack surface considerably. This type of vulnerability aligns with CWE-200 (Information Exposure) and CWE-284 (Improper Access Control) categories, representing a clear violation of information security principles.
From an adversarial perspective, this vulnerability enables attackers to gather intelligence about the target system's configuration and environment, which can be leveraged for subsequent exploitation attempts. The attack can be executed without requiring any local access or authentication credentials, making it particularly dangerous as it can be exploited from any network location. This aligns with ATT&CK technique T1083 (File and Directory Discovery) and T1059 (Command and Scripting Interpreter) where attackers can use information gathered through such vulnerabilities to plan more sophisticated attacks. The vulnerability also demonstrates weaknesses in the system's defense-in-depth principles, as proper network segmentation and access control mechanisms should have prevented unauthorized access to system variables.
Mitigation strategies should focus on implementing proper access controls for the ADXSITCF logical name, ensuring that all incoming requests to TCP port 54138 are properly authenticated and validated. Network segmentation should be implemented to isolate critical system components from external network access, while proper input validation should be enforced to prevent malicious requests from being processed. Additionally, the system should be updated to a patched version of the Toshiba 4690 Operating System that addresses this specific vulnerability. Regular security audits and penetration testing should be conducted to identify similar access control weaknesses in other system components, and network monitoring should be implemented to detect anomalous traffic patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability also underscores the importance of following secure coding practices and implementing proper access control mechanisms in all system components, particularly those handling network communications and system-level operations.