CVE-2018-19637 : Vulnerability Insights and Analysis

Supportutils, before version 3.1-5.7.1, had a vulnerability that allowed local attackers to overwrite files on systems without symlink protection.

Understanding CVE-2018-19637

Supportutils had a flaw that could potentially enable local attackers to manipulate files on systems that lack symlink protection.

What is CVE-2018-19637?

In versions prior to 3.1-5.7.1, Supportutils had the functionality of saving data to the static file /tmp/supp_log, which could potentially enable local attackers to manipulate files on systems that lack symlink protection.

The Impact of CVE-2018-19637

The vulnerability had a low severity impact, with a CVSS base score of 2.8. It required low privileges and user interaction, affecting integrity but not confidentiality or availability.

Technical Details of CVE-2018-19637

Supportutils, before version 3.1-5.7.1, wrote data to a static file /tmp/supp_log, allowing local attackers to overwrite files on systems without symlink protection.

Vulnerability Description

The flaw in Supportutils allowed attackers to save data to a static file, potentially enabling them to manipulate files on vulnerable systems.

Affected Systems and Versions

Product: Supportutils
Vendor: SUSE
Versions Affected: < 3.1-5.7.1

Exploitation Mechanism

Attack Complexity: Low
Attack Vector: Local
Privileges Required: Low
User Interaction: Required
Scope: Unchanged

Mitigation and Prevention

To address CVE-2018-19637, follow these steps:

Immediate Steps to Take

Update Supportutils to version 3.1-5.7.1 or later.
Implement symlink protection on systems to prevent file manipulation.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly monitor and update software to patch vulnerabilities.
Enforce the principle of least privilege to limit access rights.
Conduct security training to educate users on safe practices.

Patching and Updates

Apply patches and updates provided by SUSE to fix the vulnerability.