CVE-2018-19046 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

CVE-2018-19046 was published on November 8, 2018, and affects the keepalived version 2.0.8. The vulnerability allowed unauthorized users to potentially expose sensitive information by manipulating temporary files.

Understanding CVE-2018-19046

This CVE entry highlights a security issue in keepalived version 2.0.8 that could lead to the exposure of sensitive data due to improper file handling.

What is CVE-2018-19046?

The vulnerability in keepalived 2.0.8 stemmed from the lack of validation for pre-existing plain files when writing data to temporary files. This oversight could be exploited by local unauthorized users to access sensitive information.

The Impact of CVE-2018-19046

The vulnerability in keepalived 2.0.8 could potentially lead to the exposure of sensitive data if a malicious actor created specific files with the right permissions, allowing them to read data intended for the keepalived process.

Technical Details of CVE-2018-19046

This section delves into the technical aspects of the CVE, including the vulnerability description, affected systems, and the exploitation mechanism.

Vulnerability Description

The flaw in keepalived 2.0.8 allowed local unauthorized users to read sensitive information by manipulating temporary files used by the PrintData or PrintStats functions.

Affected Systems and Versions

Affected Version: 2.0.8
Systems: Keepalived installations using version 2.0.8

Exploitation Mechanism

Unauthorized users could create specific files with read permissions for themselves and write permissions for the keepalived process to access sensitive data.

Mitigation and Prevention

Protecting systems from CVE-2018-19046 involves immediate steps and long-term security practices.

Immediate Steps to Take

Update keepalived to a patched version that addresses the file handling vulnerability.
Monitor system logs for any suspicious file activities.

Long-Term Security Practices

Implement the principle of least privilege to restrict file access permissions.
Regularly audit and review file permissions and access controls.

Patching and Updates

Apply patches provided by keepalived to fix the vulnerability and prevent unauthorized access to sensitive data.