CVE-2019-3696 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

A vulnerability in the packaging of pcp in various versions of SUSE Linux Enterprise and openSUSE Leap 15.1 allows a local user named "pcp" to overwrite any file with any content by improperly limiting the pathname to a restricted directory.

Understanding CVE-2019-3696

This CVE involves a local privilege escalation from user pcp to root through the migrate_tempdirs function.

What is CVE-2019-3696?

This vulnerability allows a local user named "pcp" to overwrite any file with any content by improperly limiting the pathname to a restricted directory.

The Impact of CVE-2019-3696

CVSS Base Score: 8.4 (High)
Attack Vector: Local
Attack Complexity: Low
Privileges Required: None
User Interaction: None
Confidentiality Impact: High
Integrity Impact: High
Availability Impact: High

Technical Details of CVE-2019-3696

This section provides detailed technical information about the vulnerability.

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability in the packaging of pcp allows a local user named "pcp" to overwrite any file with any content by improperly limiting the pathname to a restricted directory.

Affected Systems and Versions

The following systems and versions are affected:

SUSE Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15-ESPOS with pcp versions prior to 3.11.9-5.8.1
SUSE Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15-LTSS with pcp versions prior to 3.11.9-5.8.1
SUSE Linux Enterprise Module for Development Tools 15 with pcp versions prior to 3.11.9-5.8.1
SUSE Linux Enterprise Module for Development Tools 15-SP1 with pcp versions prior to 4.3.1-3.5.3
SUSE Linux Enterprise Module for Open Buildservice Development Tools 15 with pcp versions prior to 3.11.9-5.8.1
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15-LTSS with pcp versions prior to 3.11.9-5.8.1
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP 15 with pcp versions prior to 3.11.9-5.8.1
SUSE Linux Enterprise Software Development Kit 12-SP4 with pcp versions prior to 3.11.9-6.14.1
SUSE Linux Enterprise Software Development Kit 12-SP5 with pcp versions prior to 3.11.9-6.14.1
openSUSE Leap 15.1 with pcp versions prior to 4.3.1-lp151.2.3.1

Exploitation Mechanism

The vulnerability allows a local user named "pcp" to overwrite any file with any content by improperly limiting the pathname to a restricted directory.

Mitigation and Prevention

To address CVE-2019-3696, follow these steps:

Immediate Steps to Take

Apply the necessary patches provided by the vendor.
Monitor for any unauthorized file modifications.

Long-Term Security Practices

Implement the principle of least privilege to restrict user capabilities.
Regularly update and patch systems to prevent vulnerabilities.

Patching and Updates

Ensure that all affected systems are updated with the latest patches to mitigate the vulnerability.