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CVE-2017-1000082: Systemd Project: Improper Privilege Management

CVE-2017-1000082 is rated critical with a CVSS v3.1 base score of 9.8 and affects Systemd Project. Per its scoring, it can be exploited over the network, without authentication, without any user interaction. The scored impact on confidentiality, integrity and availability is the highest available.

Vulnerability description

systemd v233 and earlier fails to safely parse usernames starting with a numeric digit (e.g. "0day"), running the service in question with root privileges rather than the user intended.

Severity breakdown

CVSS v3.1 9.8: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

• Attack vector: Network. Exploitable remotely over the network, with no need for local or physical access.
• Attack complexity: Low. No special conditions; the attack can be repeated reliably.
• Privileges required: None. No account or prior access is needed.
• User interaction: None. No action from any user is needed.
• Scope: Unchanged. Impact stays within the vulnerable component.
• Confidentiality impact: High. Total loss of confidentiality; sensitive data can be fully disclosed.
• Integrity impact: High. Total loss of integrity; data or system state can be fully modified.
• Availability impact: High. Total loss of availability; the component can be shut down.

Underlying weakness

CWE-269: Improper Privilege Management

The product does not properly assign, modify, track, or check privileges for an actor, creating an unintended sphere of control for that actor.

Affected products

• Systemd Project: from 229 before 234

References

• http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2017/07/02/1
• https://github.com/systemd/systemd/issues/6237
• http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/99507
• http://www.securitytracker.com/id/1038839