CVE-2020-28243 : Security Advisory and Response

CVE-2020-28243, discovered in SaltStack Salt before version 3002.5, involves a vulnerability in the minion's restartcheck that allows for command injection. This flaw enables local privilege escalation by users capable of creating files on the minion in specific directories.

Understanding CVE-2020-28243

SaltStack Salt prior to version 3002.5 is susceptible to a command injection vulnerability that can be exploited for local privilege escalation.

What is CVE-2020-28243?

SaltStack Salt, a popular configuration management tool, contains a security issue in its restartcheck functionality. Attackers can execute arbitrary commands through a manipulated process name, leading to unauthorized privilege escalation on the affected system.

The Impact of CVE-2020-28243

The vulnerability in SaltStack Salt before version 3002.5 poses a significant risk as it allows malicious actors to elevate their privileges locally on the system where the vulnerable software is installed.

Technical Details of CVE-2020-28243

SaltStack Salt vulnerability details and affected systems.

Vulnerability Description

The minion's restartcheck in SaltStack Salt before 3002.5 is vulnerable to command injection via a crafted process name, enabling local privilege escalation.

Affected Systems and Versions

Vendor: n/a
Product: n/a
Versions: All versions are affected.

Exploitation Mechanism

The vulnerability can be exploited by users who have the ability to create files on the minion in directories not blacklisted, allowing them to execute arbitrary commands and escalate their privileges.

Mitigation and Prevention

Protecting systems from CVE-2020-28243.

Immediate Steps to Take

Update SaltStack Salt to version 3002.5 or later to mitigate the vulnerability.
Restrict user permissions to minimize the impact of potential privilege escalation attacks.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly monitor and audit file creation activities on the minion to detect suspicious behavior.
Implement least privilege principles to limit user capabilities and reduce the attack surface.

Patching and Updates

Stay informed about security advisories and updates from SaltStack to apply patches promptly and enhance system security.