CVE-2020-10737 : Vulnerability Insights and Analysis
Learn about CVE-2020-10737, a race condition vulnerability in the mkhomedir tool of oddjob versions before 0.34.5 and 0.34.6, allowing attackers to manipulate ownership during home creation and potentially gain unauthorized access.
A race condition in the mkhomedir tool in the oddjob package allows an attacker to manipulate ownership during home creation.
Understanding CVE-2020-10737
What is CVE-2020-10737?
A race condition in the mkhomedir tool of oddjob versions before 0.34.5 and 0.34.6 allows attackers to change ownership during home creation, potentially leading to unauthorized access.
The Impact of CVE-2020-10737
This vulnerability could be exploited by attackers to transfer ownership of sensitive files to an unprivileged user, potentially leading to unauthorized access and data manipulation.
Technical Details of CVE-2020-10737
Vulnerability Description
The flaw in mkhomedir copies /etc/skel into a new home directory without proper path verification, enabling attackers to create symlinks to sensitive folders.
Affected Systems and Versions
- Vendor: Red Hat
- Product: oddjob
- Versions affected: before 0.34.5 and 0.34.6
Exploitation Mechanism
Attackers can create symlinks to target folders, transferring ownership to the new home directory's unprivileged user.
Mitigation and Prevention
Immediate Steps to Take
- Update oddjob to version 0.34.5 or 0.34.6 to mitigate the vulnerability.
- Monitor for any unauthorized changes in home directories.
Long-Term Security Practices
- Regularly review and update file permissions and ownership.
- Implement least privilege access controls to limit potential damage.
Patching and Updates
Apply patches provided by Red Hat to address the vulnerability.