CVE-2022-4318 : Security Advisory and Response

A vulnerability was found in cri-o that allows the addition of arbitrary lines into /etc/passwd by use of a specially crafted environment variable.

Understanding CVE-2022-4318

This section will delve into what CVE-2022-4318 entails and its impact on affected systems.

What is CVE-2022-4318?

The CVE-2022-4318 vulnerability found in cri-o enables attackers to tamper with the /etc/passwd file using specifically crafted environment variables.

The Impact of CVE-2022-4318

The impact of CVE-2022-4318 is classified as 'Moderate' with a CVSS base score of 6.1. Attackers with high privileges can exploit this vulnerability to compromise the integrity of affected systems, leading to potential privilege escalation attacks.

Technical Details of CVE-2022-4318

In this section, we will explore the technical aspects of CVE-2022-4318, including the vulnerability description, affected systems, and the exploitation mechanism.

Vulnerability Description

CVE-2022-4318 allows threat actors to insert unauthorized lines into the /etc/passwd file through a maliciously crafted environment variable, posing a risk of unauthorized access and privilege escalation.

Affected Systems and Versions

cri-o: All versions are affected.
Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4.11: Versions 1.24.4-10.rhaos4.11.git1ed5ac5.el8 and below are affected.
Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4.12: Versions 1.25.2-9.rhaos4.12.git0a083f9.el9 and below are affected.
Fedora: Versions 36 and 37 with various cri-o packages are affected.
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9: Some packages are unaffected.

Exploitation Mechanism

The exploitation of CVE-2022-4318 involves manipulating the environment variables of cri-o to introduce unauthorized entries into the /etc/passwd file.

Mitigation and Prevention

This section outlines the steps to mitigate and prevent the exploitation of CVE-2022-4318.

Immediate Steps to Take

Update cri-o to a non-vulnerable version.
Regularly monitor the integrity of critical system files.

Long-Term Security Practices

Implement least privilege access controls.
Conduct regular security audits and vulnerability scans.

Patching and Updates

Stay informed about security updates from Red Hat and apply patches promptly to address known vulnerabilities.