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OpenAdvisories
Medium · 6.5 CVE-2020-8831 EUVD-2020-29674GHSA-33w2-prhc-2q89

World writable root owned lock file created in user controllable location

Published Apr 22, 2020 · Updated Sep 16, 2024 · Assigned by canonical

Description

Apport creates a world writable lock file with root ownership in the world writable /var/lock/apport directory. If the apport/ directory does not exist (this is not uncommon as /var/lock is a tmpfs), it will create the directory, otherwise it will simply continue execution using the existing directory. This allows for a symlink attack if an attacker were to create a symlink at /var/lock/apport, changing apport's lock file location. This file could then be used to escalate privileges, for example. Fixed in versions 2.20.1-0ubuntu2.23, 2.20.9-0ubuntu7.14, 2.20.11-0ubuntu8.8 and 2.20.11-0ubuntu22.

Affected products

VendorProductAffectedFixed
Canonical Apport 2.20.1 – < 2.20.1-0ubuntu2.23, 2.20.9 – < 2.20.9-0ubuntu7.14, 2.20.11 – < 2.20.11-0ubuntu8.8 2.20.1-0ubuntu2.23

Fixed in Linux distributions

Distributions backport fixes, so the version that fixes this vulnerability differs per release — upgrade to at least the version shown. From the distributions' security trackers and advisories.

ReleasePackageFixed inAdvisory
Ubuntu 20.04 LTS apport 2.20.11-0ubuntu22 —
Ubuntu 18.04 LTS apport 2.20.9-0ubuntu7.14 USN-4315-1
Ubuntu 16.04 LTS apport 2.20.1-0ubuntu2.23 USN-4315-1
Show 1 more (older releases, extended support, other products)
ReleasePackageFixed inAdvisory
Ubuntu Pro 14.04 LTS apport 2.14.1-0ubuntu3.29+esm4 USN-4315-2

Advisories 2

References