CVE-2020-15702 : Vulnerability Insights and Analysis

A TOCTOU Race Condition vulnerability in apport allows a local attacker to escalate privileges and execute arbitrary code. This CVE affects versions 2.20.1, 2.20.9, and 2.20.11 of apport by Canonical.

Understanding CVE-2020-15702

This CVE involves a Time-of-check Time-of-use (TOCTOU) Race Condition in apport, impacting the security of the affected systems.

What is CVE-2020-15702?

TOCTOU Race Condition vulnerability in apport enables a local attacker to elevate privileges and run malicious code by exploiting PID recycling.

The Impact of CVE-2020-15702

The vulnerability poses a high severity risk with a CVSS base score of 7, affecting confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the system.

Technical Details of CVE-2020-15702

This section provides detailed technical insights into the vulnerability.

Vulnerability Description

The flaw allows an attacker to exit a crashed process, manipulate PID recycling, and spawn a root process with escalated privileges.

Affected Systems and Versions

Product: apport
Vendor: Canonical
Vulnerable Versions: 2.20.1-0ubuntu2.24, 2.20.9-0ubuntu7.16, 2.20.11-0ubuntu27.6

Exploitation Mechanism

Attack Complexity: High
Attack Vector: Local
Privileges Required: Low
User Interaction: None
Scope: Unchanged
Exploitation Impact: High

Mitigation and Prevention

Effective strategies to mitigate and prevent exploitation of CVE-2020-15702.

Immediate Steps to Take

Apply security patches promptly
Monitor system logs for suspicious activities
Restrict access to vulnerable systems

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update software and systems
Conduct security training for personnel
Implement least privilege access controls

Patching and Updates

Canonical has released fixes for versions 2.20.1-0ubuntu2.24, 2.20.9-0ubuntu7.16, and 2.20.11-0ubuntu27.6