CVE-2019-3694 : Exploit Details and Defense Strategies

Understanding CVE-2019-3694

What is CVE-2019-3694?

CVE-2019-3694 is a vulnerability found in the packaging of munin in openSUSE Factory and Leap 15.1. It allows local attackers with access as the munin user to escalate their privileges to root.

The Impact of CVE-2019-3694

This vulnerability has a CVSS base score of 7.7, indicating a high severity level. It poses a risk of high confidentiality and integrity impact, with low attack complexity and vector being local.

Technical Details of CVE-2019-3694

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability arises from symbolic links (symlinks) that can be followed in the packaging of munin, enabling local attackers to elevate their privileges from munin to root.

Affected Systems and Versions

openSUSE Factory munin version 2.0.49-4.2 and earlier
openSUSE Leap 15.1 munin version 2.0.40-lp151.1.1 and earlier

Exploitation Mechanism

The vulnerability allows local attackers, with access as the munin user, to exploit symbolic links to gain root privileges on the affected systems.

Mitigation and Prevention

Immediate Steps to Take

Apply the necessary patches provided by openSUSE to address the vulnerability.
Restrict access to the munin user to minimize the risk of privilege escalation.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly monitor and audit symbolic links and permissions within the system.
Implement the principle of least privilege to limit user access rights.

Patching and Updates

Ensure that all systems running the affected versions of munin are promptly updated with the latest patches to mitigate the vulnerability.