CVE-2009-0579: Medium severity Linux-PAM Linux-PAM vulnerability
An issue dealing with password changes, with respect to the MINDAYS field in /etc/shadow was reported on the Debian BTS (http://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=514437) that affects all versions of PAM 1.x. Because of this, if an administrative user sets the password minimum days via chage or passwd, /etc/shadow is updated correctly, but PAM allows the user to change their password with no regard for the MINDAYS setting, effectively allowing them to re-use old passwords immediately and disregard any established password policies that should be enforced.
This is due to the fact that no minimum age password checks are done by PAM in 1.x; in the old versions it was done in unixverifyshadow() by checking the value of of spmin. In newer PAM this check is no longer there.
Other sources
Linux-PAM before 1.0.4 does not enforce the minimum password age (MINDAYS) as specified in /etc/shadow, which allows local users to bypass intended security policy and change their passwords sooner than specified.
Affected Software
Remediation
Patch Available
Event History
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the severity of CVE-2009-0579?
CVE-2009-0579 is considered a moderate severity vulnerability due to its impact on password management in affected PAM versions.
How do I fix CVE-2009-0579?
To fix CVE-2009-0579, it's recommended to update to the latest version of the Linux-PAM library that has addressed the vulnerability.
Which versions of Linux-PAM are affected by CVE-2009-0579?
CVE-2009-0579 affects all versions of Linux-PAM 1.x and earlier, including 0.99.x versions.
What are the potential risks of CVE-2009-0579?
The risks associated with CVE-2009-0579 include potential unauthorized access due to improper password handling.
Is CVE-2009-0579 specific to any operating system?
CVE-2009-0579 was reported in the context of Debian, but it affects any system using the vulnerable versions of the Linux-PAM library.