CVE-2020-8019 : Exploit Details and Defense Strategies
Learn about CVE-2020-8019, a high-severity vulnerability in syslog-ng of SUSE and openSUSE products, allowing local attackers to gain root privileges. Find out the impacted systems and mitigation steps.
A UNIX Symbolic Link (Symlink) Following vulnerability in syslog-ng of various SUSE and openSUSE products allowed local attackers to escalate privileges to root.
Understanding CVE-2020-8019
This CVE involves a local privilege escalation vulnerability in syslog-ng affecting multiple SUSE and openSUSE products.
What is CVE-2020-8019?
CVE-2020-8019 is a vulnerability in the packaging of syslog-ng in several SUSE and openSUSE products, enabling local attackers to elevate their privileges to root.
The Impact of CVE-2020-8019
The vulnerability poses a high severity risk with a CVSS base score of 7.7, allowing attackers to gain root privileges on affected systems.
Technical Details of CVE-2020-8019
This section provides detailed technical information about the vulnerability.
Vulnerability Description
The vulnerability allows local attackers controlling the user 'news' to escalate their privileges to root by exploiting a UNIX Symbolic Link (Symlink) Following issue in syslog-ng.
Affected Systems and Versions
- SUSE Linux Enterprise Debuginfo 11-SP3, 11-SP4
- SUSE Linux Enterprise Module for Legacy Software 12
- SUSE Linux Enterprise Point of Sale 11-SP3
- SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 11-SP4-LTSS
- SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP 12-SP1
- openSUSE Backports SLE-15-SP1
- openSUSE Leap 15.1
Exploitation Mechanism
The vulnerability can be exploited by local attackers with control over the 'news' user account to create a symlink attack, leading to privilege escalation.
Mitigation and Prevention
To address CVE-2020-8019, follow these mitigation strategies:
Immediate Steps to Take
- Apply the vendor-provided patches immediately.
- Monitor system logs for any suspicious activities.
- Restrict user privileges to minimize the impact of potential attacks.
Long-Term Security Practices
- Regularly update and patch all software and systems.
- Implement the principle of least privilege to restrict user access.
Patching and Updates
- Update syslog-ng to versions that are not vulnerable to the symlink attack.