CVE-2016-7066 in JBoss Enterprise Application Platform
Summary
by MITRE
It was found that the improper default permissions on /tmp/auth directory in JBoss Enterprise Application Platform before 7.1.0 can allow any local user to connect to CLI and allow the user to execute any arbitrary operations.
If you want to get best quality of vulnerability data, you may have to visit VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/08/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-7066 represents a critical security flaw in JBoss Enterprise Application Platform versions prior to 7.1.0, specifically concerning the default permissions assigned to the /tmp/auth directory. This issue stems from inadequate access control mechanisms that fail to properly restrict system resources, creating an exploitable condition that fundamentally compromises the security posture of affected systems. The vulnerability manifests through improper default configurations that grant excessive privileges to local users, effectively undermining the principle of least privilege that is fundamental to secure system design.
The technical flaw resides in the insufficient permission settings applied to the authentication directory within the temporary filesystem namespace. The /tmp/auth directory is configured with overly permissive access controls that allow any local user to establish connections to the Command Line Interface without proper authentication mechanisms. This misconfiguration creates a direct pathway for privilege escalation and unauthorized system manipulation, as the default permissions do not adequately restrict access to sensitive administrative functions. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-732, which addresses inadequate permissions for critical resources, and represents a classic example of improper access control that enables unauthorized system interaction.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends far beyond simple unauthorized access, as it provides attackers with the ability to execute arbitrary operations within the JBoss application environment. Local users who exploit this flaw can potentially gain administrative privileges, modify system configurations, deploy malicious applications, or access sensitive data stored within the application platform. This capability enables attackers to perform operations such as creating new users, modifying existing user permissions, accessing confidential application data, or even compromising the entire application server infrastructure. The vulnerability essentially transforms any local user account into a potential administrative access point, making it particularly dangerous in multi-user environments where system integrity is paramount.
From an adversarial perspective, this vulnerability maps directly to several ATT&CK techniques including T1068 for local privilege escalation and T1078 for valid accounts. The attack surface is particularly concerning because it requires no network connectivity or external exploitation vectors, making it a low-effort, high-impact vulnerability that can be exploited from within the local system environment. Security professionals should note that this vulnerability represents a failure in the principle of least privilege implementation, where system resources are unnecessarily exposed to unauthorized access. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including proper permission configuration, regular security audits of temporary directories, and comprehensive access control reviews to prevent exploitation of similar misconfigurations.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2016-7066 involve immediate remediation of the default directory permissions, ensuring that the /tmp/auth directory is properly secured with restrictive access controls that limit access to authorized administrative users only. System administrators should implement regular security assessments to identify and correct similar permission misconfigurations across the entire system infrastructure. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing automated monitoring solutions that can detect unauthorized access attempts to critical system directories and establish comprehensive logging mechanisms to track administrative activities. The vulnerability underscores the critical importance of proper security configuration management and the necessity of regular security assessments to identify and remediate configuration weaknesses before they can be exploited by malicious actors.