CVE-2018-6791 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

A vulnerability was found in the code of soliduiserver/deviceserviceaction.cpp in KDE Plasma Workspace versions prior to 5.12.0. This vulnerability could allow unauthorized execution of arbitrary commands when a vfat thumb drive with a specific volume label is mounted.

Understanding CVE-2018-6791

This CVE identifies a security issue in KDE Plasma Workspace versions before 5.12.0 that could lead to the execution of unauthorized commands.

What is CVE-2018-6791?

The vulnerability in soliduiserver/deviceserviceaction.cpp allows a vfat thumb drive with a malicious volume label to be interpreted as a shell command, potentially enabling the execution of arbitrary commands.

The Impact of CVE-2018-6791

The vulnerability could be exploited by an attacker to execute unauthorized commands on the system, compromising its integrity and potentially leading to further exploitation.

Technical Details of CVE-2018-6791

This section provides more technical insights into the CVE.

Vulnerability Description

The issue in soliduiserver/deviceserviceaction.cpp in KDE Plasma Workspace versions before 5.12.0 allows a vfat thumb drive with specific characters in its volume label to be interpreted as a shell command, enabling unauthorized command execution.

Affected Systems and Versions

Systems running KDE Plasma Workspace versions prior to 5.12.0
Specifically affects vfat thumb drives with volume labels containing characters like `` or $()

Exploitation Mechanism

When a vfat thumb drive with a malicious volume label is inserted and mounted using the device notifier, it can be interpreted as a shell command, potentially allowing unauthorized execution of arbitrary commands.

Mitigation and Prevention

Protect your systems from CVE-2018-6791 with these mitigation strategies.

Immediate Steps to Take

Update KDE Plasma Workspace to version 5.12.0 or newer to patch the vulnerability
Avoid connecting unknown or untrusted vfat thumb drives to the system

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update software and firmware to ensure the latest security patches are applied
Educate users about safe practices when connecting external storage devices

Patching and Updates

Apply the official patch provided by KDE to fix the vulnerability and prevent exploitation