Executive brief
WorkMan, a graphical CD player utility for older Unix-based systems, contains a security flaw that allows a local user to overwrite any file on the system. By exploiting this, an attacker can gain full administrative (root) control over the computer. This could lead to a total system compromise, including the theft of sensitive data or the permanent disruption of operations.
Technical details
A vulnerability in the WorkMan CD player utility allows for arbitrary file overwriting, leading to local privilege escalation. The flaw likely stems from insecure file handling or improper permissions when the program is running with elevated privileges (such as setuid root). A local attacker with access to the system can leverage this to overwrite critical system files, such as /etc/passwd or /etc/shadow, to gain root access. This issue was identified in early versions of SunOS and Solaris. No specific patch details are provided in the legacy advisory, but the primary mitigation is to remove the setuid bit from the executable or update to a non-vulnerable version.
Affected products
- Sun Microsystems Solaris 2.0
- Sun Microsystems SunOS 5.0
Timeline
- 1996-10-28: disclosed