macOS 10.13 Authentication Bypass Remote Check (CVE-2017-13872) - Nessus

High Plugin ID: 105003

This page contains detailed information about the macOS 10.13 Authentication Bypass Remote Check (CVE-2017-13872) Nessus plugin including available exploits and PoCs found on GitHub, in Metasploit or Exploit-DB for verifying of this vulnerability.

Table Of Contents

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Plugin Overview
Vulnerability Information

Synopsis
Description
Solution

Public Exploits
Risk Information
Plugin Source
How to Run
References
Version

Plugin Overview

ID: 105003
Name: macOS 10.13 Authentication Bypass Remote Check (CVE-2017-13872)
Filename: macos_10_13_auth_bypass_remote_check.nasl
Vulnerability Published: 2017-11-28
This Plugin Published: 2017-12-04
Last Modification Time: 2019-11-12
Plugin Version: 1.9
Plugin Type: remote
Plugin Family: Misc.
Dependencies: ssh_detect.nasl
Excluded KB Items [?]: global_settings/supplied_logins_only

Vulnerability Information

Severity: High
Vulnerability Published: 2017-11-28
Patch Published: 2017-11-29
CVE [?]: CVE-2017-13872
CPE [?]: cpe:/o:apple:macos, cpe:/o:apple:mac_os_x
In the News: True

Synopsis

The remote host is affected by an authentication bypass vulnerability.

Description

The remote host is affected by an authentication bypass vulnerability. A local attacker or a remote attacker with credentials for a standard user account has the ability to blank out the root account password. This can allow an authenticated attacker to escalate privileges to root and execute commands and read files as a system administrator. A remote attacker without credentials can set passwords on certain disabled accounts.

Note that if this plugin is successful, Nessus has set the password on the 'nobody' account to 'nessus', and you will need to reset this password/re-disable this account to clean up.

Solution

Apply Apple Security Update 2017-001.

Public Exploits

Target Network Port(s): 22
Target Asset(s): Services/ssh
Exploit Available: True (Metasploit Framework, GitHub)
Exploit Ease: Exploits are available

Here's the list of publicly known exploits and PoCs for verifying the macOS 10.13 Authentication Bypass Remote Check (CVE-2017-13872) vulnerability:

Metasploit: exploit/osx/local/root_no_password
[Mac OS X Root Privilege Escalation]
Metasploit: auxiliary/scanner/vnc/ard_root_pw
[Apple Remote Desktop Root Vulnerability]
GitHub: https://github.com/TH3-HUNT3R/Root-MacOS
[CVE-2017-13872]
GitHub: https://github.com/axelvf/tools-highsierraroot
[CVE-2017-13872]
GitHub: https://github.com/giovannidispoto/CVE-2017-13872-Patch
[CVE-2017-13872]
GitHub: https://github.com/swisskyrepo/WHID_Toolkit
[CVE-2017-13872]
GitHub: https://github.com/thehappydinoa/rootOS
[CVE-2017-13872]

Before running any exploit against any system, make sure you are authorized by the owner of the target system(s) to perform such activity. In any other case, this would be considered as an illegal activity.

WARNING: Beware of using unverified exploits from sources such as GitHub or Exploit-DB. These exploits and PoCs could contain malware. For more information, see how to use exploits safely.

Risk Information

CVSS Score Source [?]: CVE-2017-13872
CVSS V2 Vector: AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C/E:F/RL:OF/RC:C

CVSS Base Score:	9.3 (High)
Impact Subscore:	10.0
Exploitability Subscore:	8.6
CVSS Temporal Score:	7.7 (High)
CVSS Environmental Score:	NA (None)
Modified Impact Subscore:	NA
Overall CVSS Score:	7.7 (High)

CVSS V3 Vector: CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H/E:F/RL:O/RC:C

CVSS Base Score:	8.1 (High)
Impact Subscore:	5.9
Exploitability Subscore:	2.2
CVSS Temporal Score:	7.5 (High)
CVSS Environmental Score:	NA (None)
Modified Impact Subscore:	NA
Overall CVSS Score:	7.5 (High)

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Plugin Source

#
# (C) Tenable Network Security, Inc.
#

include("compat.inc");

if (description)
{
  script_id(105003);
  script_version("1.9");
  script_cvs_date("Date: 2019/11/12");

  script_cve_id("CVE-2017-13872");
  script_bugtraq_id(101981);

  script_name(english:"macOS 10.13 Authentication Bypass Remote Check (CVE-2017-13872)");
  script_summary(english:"Attempts to set the 'nobody' account password via SSH.");

  script_set_attribute(attribute:"synopsis", value:
"The remote host is affected by an authentication bypass vulnerability.");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"description", value:
"The remote host is affected by an authentication bypass vulnerability.
A local attacker or a remote attacker with credentials for a standard
user account has the ability to blank out the root account password.
This can allow an authenticated attacker to escalate privileges to
root and execute commands and read files as a system administrator.
A remote attacker without credentials can set passwords on certain
disabled accounts.

Note that if this plugin is successful, Nessus has set the password on
the 'nobody' account to 'nessus', and you will need to reset this
password/re-disable this account to clean up.");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"see_also", value:"https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT208315");
  # https://objective-see.com/blog/blog_0x24.html
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"see_also", value:"http://www.nessus.org/u?2cf4b55a");
  # https://twitter.com/lemiorhan/status/935578694541770752
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"see_also", value:"http://www.nessus.org/u?9ff9ff45");
  # https://www.theregister.co.uk/2017/11/28/root_access_bypass_macos_high_sierra/
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"see_also", value:"http://www.nessus.org/u?1e5890f3");
  # https://www.theverge.com/2017/11/28/16711782/apple-macos-high-sierra-critical-password-security-flaw
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"see_also", value:"http://www.nessus.org/u?f367aab4");
  # https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204012
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"see_also", value:"http://www.nessus.org/u?f9f9bbc3");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"solution", value:
"Apply Apple Security Update 2017-001.");
  script_set_cvss_base_vector("CVSS2#AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C");
  script_set_cvss_temporal_vector("CVSS2#E:F/RL:OF/RC:C");
  script_set_cvss3_base_vector("CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H");
  script_set_cvss3_temporal_vector("CVSS:3.0/E:F/RL:O/RC:C");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cvss_score_source", value:"CVE-2017-13872");

  script_set_attribute(attribute:"exploitability_ease", value:"Exploits are available");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"exploit_available", value:"true");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"metasploit_name", value:'Mac OS X Root Privilege Escalation');
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"exploit_framework_metasploit", value:"true");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"in_the_news", value:"true");

  script_set_attribute(attribute:"vuln_publication_date", value:"2017/11/28");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"patch_publication_date", value:"2017/11/29");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"plugin_publication_date", value:"2017/12/04");

  script_set_attribute(attribute:"plugin_type", value:"remote");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"cpe:/o:apple:mac_os_x");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"cpe:/o:apple:macos");
  script_end_attributes();

  script_category(ACT_DESTRUCTIVE_ATTACK);
  script_family(english:"Misc.");

  script_copyright(english:"This script is Copyright (C) 2017-2019 and is owned by Tenable, Inc. or an Affiliate thereof.");

  script_dependencies("ssh_detect.nasl");
  script_exclude_keys("global_settings/supplied_logins_only");
  script_require_ports("Services/ssh", 22);

  exit(0);
}

include("audit.inc");
include("global_settings.inc");

include("ssh_lib.inc");

port = get_service(svc:"ssh", default:22, exit_on_fail:TRUE);

if (supplied_logins_only) audit(AUDIT_SUPPLIED_LOGINS_ONLY);

user = "nobody";
pass = "nessus";

# if vuln and not yet 'exploited', this will set the password
# but it returns USERAUTH_FAILURE and closes the socket
session = new("sshlib::session");
session.open_connection(port:port);
ret = session.login(method:"password", extra:make_array("username", user, "password", pass));
# if we get anything other than USERAUTH_FAILURE here it is not vulnerable
if (session.cur_state.val != "USERAUTH_FAILURE")
{
  session.close_connection();
  audit(AUDIT_HOST_NOT, "affected");
}
session.close_connection();

# if vuln and 'exploited' by nessus (password has been set to nessus),
# this will succeed, but return SOC_CLOSED
session = new("sshlib::session");
session.open_connection(port:port);
ret = session.login(method:"password", extra:make_array("username", user, "password", pass));

# if the password is wrong our state will be USERAUTH_FAILURE and our error will be different
# below is the response if authentication succeded but then the ssh connection was closed
# due to /usr/bin/false being the login shell
if (session.cur_state.val == "SOC_CLOSED" &&
    'Socket error: Connection reset by peer\nFailed to authenticate using the supplied password.\n' >< session.error)
{
  # vuln
  report = '  Nessus was able to log in as "' + user + '" on the remote host\n' +
           '  by first setting the account password to "' + pass + '" by\n' +
           '  simply attempting to log in, and then verifying it was\n' +
           '  set by attempting to log in again. While this does not\n' +
           '  allow any type of command execution due to the nobody\n' +
           '  account using /usr/bin/false as a shell, this means the\n' +
           '  remote host is vulnerable to CVE-2017-13872, an\n' +
           '  authentication bypass vulnerability in macOS 10.13.\n' +
           '\n' +
           '  Note that if this plugin is successful, Nessus has set the\n' +
           '  password on the "nobody" account to "nessus", and you will\n' +
           '  need to reset this password/re-disable this account to clean\n' +
           '   up.\n' +
           '\n';
  security_report_v4(
    port       : session.port,
    severity   : SECURITY_HOLE,
    extra      : report
  );
}
else
{
  session.close_connection();
  audit(AUDIT_HOST_NOT, "affected");
}
session.close_connection();

The latest version of this script can be found in these locations depending on your platform:

Linux / Unix:
/opt/nessus/lib/nessus/plugins/macos_10_13_auth_bypass_remote_check.nasl
Windows:
C:\ProgramData\Tenable\Nessus\nessus\plugins\macos_10_13_auth_bypass_remote_check.nasl
Mac OS X:
/Library/Nessus/run/lib/nessus/plugins/macos_10_13_auth_bypass_remote_check.nasl

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How to Run

Here is how to run the macOS 10.13 Authentication Bypass Remote Check (CVE-2017-13872) as a standalone plugin via the Nessus web user interface (https://localhost:8834/):

Click to start a New Scan.
Select Advanced Scan.
Navigate to the Plugins tab.
On the top right corner click to Disable All plugins.
On the left side table select Misc. plugin family.
On the right side table select macOS 10.13 Authentication Bypass Remote Check (CVE-2017-13872) plugin ID 105003.
Specify the target on the Settings tab and click to Save the scan.
Run the scan.

Here are a few examples of how to run the plugin in the command line. Note that the examples below demonstrate the usage on the Linux / Unix platform.

Basic usage:

/opt/nessus/bin/nasl macos_10_13_auth_bypass_remote_check.nasl -t <IP/HOST>

Run the plugin with audit trail message on the console:

/opt/nessus/bin/nasl -a macos_10_13_auth_bypass_remote_check.nasl -t <IP/HOST>

Run the plugin with trace script execution written to the console (useful for debugging):

/opt/nessus/bin/nasl -T - macos_10_13_auth_bypass_remote_check.nasl -t <IP/HOST>

Run the plugin with using a state file for the target and updating it (useful for running multiple plugins on the target):

/opt/nessus/bin/nasl -K /tmp/state macos_10_13_auth_bypass_remote_check.nasl -t <IP/HOST>

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References

BID | SecurityFocus Bugtraq ID:

101981

See also:

Similar and related Nessus plugins:

105080 - macOS 10.13.x < 10.13.2 Multiple Vulnerabilities (Meltdown)
104848 - macOS 10.13 root Authentication Bypass Direct Check
104814 - MacOS 10.13 root Authentication Bypass (Security Update 2017-001)
105081 - macOS and Mac OS X Multiple Vulnerabilities (Security Update 2017-002 and 2017-005)
154245 - Oracle VM VirtualBox (Oct 2021 CPU) (macOS)

Version

This page has been produced using Nessus Professional 10.1.2 (#68) LINUX, Plugin set 202205072148.
Plugin file macos_10_13_auth_bypass_remote_check.nasl version 1.9. For more plugins, visit the Nessus Plugin Library.

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macOS 10.13 Authentication Bypass Remote Check (CVE-2017-13872) - Nessus

Plugin Overview

Vulnerability Information

Synopsis

Description

Solution

Public Exploits

Risk Information

Plugin Source

How to Run

References

Version

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