CVE-2023-40463 in ALEOS
Summary
by MITRE • 12/05/2023
When configured in debugging mode by an authenticated user with administrative privileges, ALEOS 4.16 and earlier store the SHA512 hash of the common root password for that version in a directory accessible to a user with root privileges or equivalent access.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/23/2023
This vulnerability exists in ALEOS 4.16 and earlier versions when the system is configured in debugging mode by an authenticated user with administrative privileges. The flaw stems from improper security controls during the debugging process where the system stores the SHA512 hash of the common root password in a directory that is accessible to users with root privileges or equivalent access levels. This represents a critical security misconfiguration that violates fundamental principles of least privilege and secure credential handling. The vulnerability allows for potential credential compromise and privilege escalation attacks, as the stored hash could be exploited by malicious actors with access to the system. The issue directly relates to CWE-259 and CWE-798, which address weak password storage and hardcoded credentials respectively, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1552.1 for unsecured credentials and T1068 for exploit for privilege escalation.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs during the debugging configuration process where the system fails to properly secure sensitive credential information. When administrative users enable debugging mode, the system creates a directory structure that inadvertently exposes the SHA512 hash of the root password to users with elevated privileges. This misconfiguration creates an attack surface that can be exploited by both internal and external threat actors who gain access to the system with root privileges or equivalent access. The vulnerability demonstrates poor access control mechanisms and inadequate secure storage practices for sensitive authentication data. The presence of the hash in an accessible directory effectively provides attackers with a direct path to compromise the system's authentication mechanisms.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant as it enables unauthorized access to systems that would otherwise require legitimate administrative credentials. An attacker with access to the system and root privileges could extract the stored hash and potentially reverse-engineer or crack the password using rainbow table attacks or computational resources. This vulnerability undermines the integrity of the system's authentication framework and creates opportunities for persistent access and lateral movement within network environments. The risk is amplified when considering that the hash is stored in a location accessible to users with root privileges, which typically represents the highest level of system access and privilege escalation capabilities.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on immediate remediation and long-term architectural improvements. The primary solution involves upgrading to ALEOS versions beyond 4.16 where this debugging mode behavior has been corrected. Organizations should also implement strict access controls to prevent unauthorized administrative configuration changes and ensure that debugging mode is disabled in production environments. Additional mitigations include implementing proper directory permissions, secure credential storage mechanisms, and regular security audits to identify and remediate similar misconfigurations. The implementation of principle of least privilege should be enforced to prevent users from accessing sensitive system directories. Organizations should also consider implementing monitoring and alerting mechanisms to detect unauthorized access to sensitive system directories and credential storage locations, which would help identify potential exploitation attempts and provide early warning of security incidents.