CVE-2014-7298 in Suite
Summary
by MITRE
adsetgroups in Centrify Server Suite 2008 through 2014.1 and Centrify DirectControl 3.x through 4.2.0 on Linux and UNIX allows local users to read arbitrary files with root privileges by leveraging improperly protected setuid functionality.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/14/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-7298 affects Centrify Server Suite versions 2008 through 2014.1 and Centrify DirectControl versions 3.x through 4.2.0 on Linux and UNIX systems. This issue stems from a critical flaw in the adsetgroups utility which is designed to manage Active Directory group memberships within the Centrify environment. The vulnerability specifically targets the setuid functionality that is improperly protected, creating a privilege escalation vector that allows local users to execute arbitrary file reading operations with root privileges. The flaw represents a significant security weakness in the privilege management architecture of these identity management solutions.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability lies in the improper handling of setuid permissions within the adsetgroups utility. When this utility executes with elevated privileges, it fails to properly validate input parameters or restrict file access operations. Local attackers can exploit this by manipulating the utility's behavior to read files that would normally be restricted to root access, effectively bypassing the normal access controls that should prevent such operations. This misconfiguration creates a direct path for privilege escalation where unprivileged users can leverage the setuid binary to gain root-level file access capabilities.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and multifaceted across enterprise environments that rely on Centrify for identity management. Attackers who successfully exploit this vulnerability can access sensitive system files, configuration data, and potentially credentials stored within the system. This could lead to complete system compromise, as the ability to read arbitrary files with root privileges provides attackers with access to critical system information, user credentials, and potentially backdoor access to other network resources. The vulnerability affects organizations using these specific versions of Centrify products, creating widespread risk across enterprise networks that depend on these identity management solutions.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigations including updating to the latest available versions of Centrify Server Suite and DirectControl that address this vulnerability. The patching process should be prioritized as a critical security measure given the privilege escalation capabilities. Additionally, system administrators should review and tighten access controls for setuid binaries, ensuring that only necessary utilities maintain elevated privileges. Network segmentation and monitoring should be enhanced to detect unauthorized access attempts, as this vulnerability could be exploited as part of broader attack campaigns. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-276, which describes improper file permissions, and represents a classic privilege escalation vector that could be mapped to ATT&CK technique T1068 for privilege escalation through local exploitation. Organizations should also consider implementing comprehensive file integrity monitoring solutions to detect unauthorized modifications to critical system binaries that could indicate exploitation attempts.