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Black Arrow Cyber Advisory – “PwnKit” Bug Allows Root Access on the Ubiquitous Linux Operating System
Black Arrow Cyber Advisory – “PwnKit” Bug Allows Root Access on the Ubiquitous Linux Operating System
Executive Summary
Security researchers have revealed a new toolkit bug in the Linux operating system, the software that drives most of the world. Linux is found everywhere, from firewalls and network switches to cars and huge industrial machines. The tool, ‘pkexec’, was found to be vulnerable to privilege escalation, allowing an attacker to gain root or administrator privileges with ease.
What’s the risk to me or my business?
As Linux runs in almost every environment in the world, an attacker with access to the system could exploit the vulnerability to take control. The attack can become particularly potent when used in combination with other exploits on an unpatched system. Security researchers note the attack is ‘trivially exploitable’, leading to a dangerous situation if a system is indeed susceptible.
What can I do?
A patch has been issued for the bug, which should be implemented as soon as possible on any device that may be running Linux. It is recommended that systems in general be patched as often as practicable to reduce overall risk.
Technical Summary
Security researchers have disclosed a buffer overflow attack in Polkit, a tool allowing programs without special privileges to run safely with services requiring root. The bug exploits environment variables, allowing an attacker to use NULL references to craft the overflow. As a result a malicious user could, even on an account with minimal privileges, use the misalignment to introduce dangerous environment variables to elevate their session.
Need help understanding your gaps, or just want some advice? Get in touch with us.
Black Arrow Cyber Advisory – “PwnKit” Bug Allows Low Level Access on the Ubiquitous Linux Operating System
Executive Summary
Security researchers have revealed a new toolkit bug in the Linux operating system, the software that drives most of the world. Linux is found everywhere, from firewalls and network switches to cars and huge industrial machines. The tool, ‘pkexec’, was found to be vulnerable to privilege escalation, allowing an attacker to gain root or administrator privileges with ease.
What’s the risk to me or my business?
As Linux runs in almost every environment in the world, an attacker with access to the system could exploit the vulnerability to take control. The attack can become particularly potent when used in combination with other exploits on an unpatched system. Security researchers note the attack is ‘trivially exploitable’, leading to a dangerous situation if a system is indeed susceptible.
What can I do?
A patch has been issued for the bug, which should be implemented as soon as possible on any device that may be running Linux. It is recommended that systems in general be patched as often as practicable to reduce overall risk.
Technical Summary
Security researchers have disclosed a buffer overflow attack in Polkit, a tool allowing programs without special privileges to run safely with services requiring root. The bug exploits environment variables, allowing an attacker to use NULL references to craft the overflow. As a result a malicious user could, even on an account with minimal privileges, use the misalignment to introduce dangerous environment variables to elevate their session.
Need help understanding your gaps, or just want some advice? Get in touch with us.