CVE-2013-1923: Infoleak

Published Apr 3, 2013
·
Updated

It was reported [1],[2] that rpc.gssd in nfs-utils is vulnerable to DNS spoofing due to it depending on PTR resolution for GSSAPI authentication. Because of this, if a user where able to poison DNS to a victim's computer, they would be able to trick rpc.gssd into talking to another server (perhaps with less security) than the intended server (with stricter security). If the victim has write access to the second (less secure) server, and the attacker has read access (when they normally might not on the secure server), the victim could write files to that server, which the attacker could obtain (when normally they would not be able to). To the victim this is transparent because the victim's computer asks the KDC for a ticket to the second server due to reverse DNS resolution; in this case Krb5 authentication does not fail because the victim is talking to the "correct" server.

A patch that prevents this issue has been posted [3].

To workaround this issue, set the IP/host pair in /etc/hosts so that it cannot be spoofed.

A good explanation is also available here [4].

[1] http://marc.info/?l=linux-nfs&m=136491998607561&w=2 [2] http://marc.info/?l=linux-nfs&m=136500502805121&w=2 [3] http://marc.info/?l=linux-nfs&m=136493115612397&w=2 [4] http://ssimo.org/blog/id015.html

Other sources

rpc-gssd in nfs-utils before 1.2.8 performs reverse DNS resolution for server names during GSSAPI authentication, which might allow remote attackers to read otherwise-restricted files via DNS spoofing attacks.

MITRE

Affected Software

8 affected components
linux-nfs nfs-utils<=1.2.7
linux-nfs nfs-utils=1.2.0
linux-nfs nfs-utils=1.2.1
linux-nfs nfs-utils=1.2.2
linux-nfs nfs-utils=1.2.3
linux-nfs nfs-utils=1.2.4
linux-nfs nfs-utils=1.2.5
linux-nfs nfs-utils=1.2.6

Event History

Apr 3, 2013
Data Sourced
10:27 PM
DescriptionSeverityAffected Software
Jan 21, 2014
CVE Published
via MITRE·06:00 PM
Data Sourced
via MITRE·06:00 PM
Description
Free Weekly Intel

Don't miss critical vulnerabilities

Join thousands of security professionals who receive our weekly digest of trending CVEs, zero-days, and exploited vulnerabilities.

No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.

Frequently Asked Questions

1

What is the severity of CVE-2013-1923?

CVE-2013-1923 has been classified as a medium severity vulnerability.

2

How do I fix CVE-2013-1923?

To fix CVE-2013-1923, upgrade nfs-utils to a version higher than 1.2.7.

3

Which versions of nfs-utils are affected by CVE-2013-1923?

CVE-2013-1923 affects nfs-utils versions 1.2.0 through 1.2.7 inclusive.

4

What type of attack does CVE-2013-1923 allow?

CVE-2013-1923 allows DNS spoofing attacks that can lead to unauthorized GSSAPI authentication.

5

Is CVE-2013-1923 specific to any operating system?

CVE-2013-1923 is specific to Linux systems using the nfs-utils package.

Contact

SecAlerts Pty Ltd.
132 Wickham Terrace
Fortitude Valley,
QLD 4006, Australia
info@secalerts.co
By using SecAlerts services, you agree to our services end-user license agreement. This website is safeguarded by reCAPTCHA and governed by the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. All names, logos, and brands of products are owned by their respective owners, and any usage of these names, logos, and brands for identification purposes only does not imply endorsement. If you possess any content that requires removal, please get in touch with us.
© 2026 SecAlerts Pty Ltd.
ABN: 70 645 966 203, ACN: 645 966 203