Executive brief
A security vulnerability in early NeXT operating systems allows a person with physical or local access to the computer to gain full administrative control. By exploiting the printer management software and poorly secured system folders, an unauthorized user can bypass security restrictions to access or delete any data on the machine. This could lead to a total compromise of the system's confidentiality and integrity.
Technical details
A privilege escalation vulnerability exists in NeXT 1.0 and 1.0a due to a combination of the npd (NeXT Printer Daemon) program and insecure directory permissions. The vulnerability allows a local attacker to manipulate system files or execution paths to escalate their privileges to root. The attack vector is local, requiring the attacker to have an account or access to the local system. Successful exploitation results in complete compromise of the system (Confidentiality, Integrity, and Availability). Patch information is historically referenced in CERT advisory CA-1990-06.
Affected products
- NeXT NeXTSTEP 1.0, 1.0a
Timeline
- 1990-10-03: advisory: NVD published date
- 1990-10-03: disclosed: Initial disclosure via CERT CA-1990-06