CVE-2020-15703 : Security Advisory and Response

A vulnerability in aptdaemon allows unprivileged users to check for the presence of local files as root, potentially compromising system security.

Understanding CVE-2020-15703

This CVE involves a lack of input validation in the Locale property during an apt transaction, enabling unauthorized users to read files as root.

What is CVE-2020-15703?

The vulnerability in aptdaemon permits unprivileged users to supply a path to a writable directory, allowing them to read files as root and check for the existence of any files on the system.

The Impact of CVE-2020-15703

The vulnerability poses a medium severity risk, with low confidentiality impact and no integrity impact. An attacker can exploit this flaw to gain unauthorized access to sensitive files on the system.

Technical Details of CVE-2020-15703

This section provides detailed technical information about the vulnerability.

Vulnerability Description

The lack of input validation on the Locale property in aptdaemon allows unprivileged users to read files as root, potentially leading to unauthorized access to sensitive information.

Affected Systems and Versions

Product: aptdaemon
Vendor: Canonical
Versions affected:
1.1.1+bzr982-0ubuntu32.2 and earlier
1.1.1+bzr982-0ubuntu19.4 and earlier
1.1.1+bzr982-0ubuntu14.4 and earlier

Exploitation Mechanism

An unprivileged user can exploit this vulnerability by supplying a path to a writable directory, allowing them to read files as root and check for the existence of any files on the system.

Mitigation and Prevention

Protect your system from CVE-2020-15703 with these mitigation strategies.

Immediate Steps to Take

Apply the necessary security patches provided by Canonical promptly.
Monitor system logs for any suspicious activities related to file access.
Restrict user privileges to minimize the impact of unauthorized access.

Long-Term Security Practices

Implement regular security audits to identify and address vulnerabilities proactively.
Educate users on safe computing practices to prevent unauthorized access to sensitive files.

Patching and Updates

Stay informed about security updates and patches released by Canonical.
Regularly update the aptdaemon software to the latest secure version.