CVE-2014-6260 in Zenoss
Summary
by MITRE
Zenoss Core through 5 Beta 3 does not require a password for modifying the pager command string, which allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary commands or cause a denial of service (paging outage) by leveraging an unattended workstation, aka ZEN-15412.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/11/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-6260 affects Zenoss Core versions through 5 Beta 3 and represents a critical security flaw in the system's privilege management and command execution mechanisms. This vulnerability stems from the absence of proper authentication requirements when modifying the pager command string within the Zenoss monitoring platform, creating an exploitable condition that enables remote attackers to gain unauthorized system control. The flaw specifically targets the paging functionality that is typically used to alert administrators about system events and issues, making it particularly dangerous as it can be leveraged for both arbitrary code execution and denial of service attacks.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability resides in the Zenoss Core's insufficient access control measures for administrative functions. When attackers can modify the pager command string without requiring authentication credentials, they effectively bypass the normal security boundaries that should protect critical system functions. This weakness creates a pathway for attackers to inject malicious commands into the pager execution environment, which can then be executed with the privileges of the Zenoss service account. The vulnerability is particularly severe because it can be exploited from unattended workstations where users might not be actively monitoring system activity, allowing attackers to maintain persistent access without detection.
The operational impact of CVE-2014-6260 extends beyond simple privilege escalation to encompass significant system compromise possibilities. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to execute arbitrary commands on the affected system, potentially leading to complete system compromise including data exfiltration, lateral movement within network environments, and establishment of persistent backdoors. The denial of service component of this vulnerability creates additional operational risks by potentially causing paging outages that prevent legitimate administrators from receiving critical alerts about system failures or security incidents. This dual nature of the vulnerability means that attackers can both disrupt system operations and gain unauthorized access to the underlying infrastructure.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-284, which addresses improper access control, and represents a clear violation of the principle of least privilege in system design. From an attack framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to multiple ATT&CK techniques including privilege escalation through service configuration and execution of malicious code through unsecured administrative interfaces. The vulnerability demonstrates poor input validation and inadequate authentication mechanisms that are commonly found in legacy monitoring systems where security considerations were not adequately addressed during initial development phases. Organizations using Zenoss Core should immediately implement mitigation strategies including patching to the latest stable versions, implementing network segmentation to limit access to administrative interfaces, and establishing monitoring for unauthorized configuration changes to prevent exploitation of this vulnerability.