CyberSecBulletin
CVE-2023-52642NVD status: Analyzed

Linux: Missing Authorization

Published Updated By the CyberSecBulletin desk

CVE-2023-52642 is a high-severity missing authorization vulnerability in Linux, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.8 out of 10. It can be exploited with local access to the system by an attacker with a low-privileged account, without any action from a user. The record lists versions 93d8109bf182510629bbefc8cd45296d2393987f, d98210108e7b2ff64b332b0a3541c8ad6a0617b0, 9f6087851ec6dce5b15f694aeaf3e8ec8243224e as the first without the flaw, so updating Linux to one of those releases or later removes the exposure. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.21% chance of exploitation within 30 days, which is low compared with other CVEs.

Next patch cycle

High severity with no evidence of exploitation so far.

What to do

  1. Update Linux to 93d8109bf182510629bbefc8cd45296d2393987f or d98210108e7b2ff64b332b0a3541c8ad6a0617b0 or 9f6087851ec6dce5b15f694aeaf3e8ec8243224e or 93136132d1b5792bf44151e3494ae3691cd738e8, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
  2. Update Linux Kernel to 5.10.210 or 5.15.149 or 6.1.79 or 6.6.18, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.

Affected products and versions

VendorProductAffected versionsFixed in
LinuxLinuxf4364dcfc86df7c1ca47b256eaf6b6d0cdd0d936 up to, but not including, 93d8109bf182510629bbefc8cd45296d2393987f; f4364dcfc86df7c1ca47b256eaf6b6d0cdd0d936 up to, but not including, d98210108e7b2ff64b332b0a3541c8ad6a0617b0; f4364dcfc86df7c1ca47b256eaf6b6d0cdd0d936 up to, but not including, 9f6087851ec6dce5b15f694aeaf3e8ec8243224e; f4364dcfc86df7c1ca47b256eaf6b6d0cdd0d936 up to, but not including, 93136132d1b5792bf44151e3494ae3691cd738e8; f4364dcfc86df7c1ca47b256eaf6b6d0cdd0d936 up to, but not including, caf2da1d4562de4e35eedec0be2b7f1ee25d83be; f4364dcfc86df7c1ca47b256eaf6b6d0cdd0d936 up to, but not including, 6a9d552483d50953320b9d3b57abdee8d436f23f; 4.1893d8109bf182510629bbefc8cd45296d2393987f, d98210108e7b2ff64b332b0a3541c8ad6a0617b0, 9f6087851ec6dce5b15f694aeaf3e8ec8243224e, 93136132d1b5792bf44151e3494ae3691cd738e8, caf2da1d4562de4e35eedec0be2b7f1ee25d83be, 6a9d552483d50953320b9d3b57abdee8d436f23f
LinuxLinux Kernelbefore 5.10.210; 5.11 up to, but not including, 5.15.149; 5.16 up to, but not including, 6.1.79; 6.2 up to, but not including, 6.6.18; 6.7 up to, but not including, 6.7.6; 6.85.10.210, 5.15.149, 6.1.79, 6.6.18, 6.7.6
DebianDebian Linux10.0Not stated

Version data comes from the organisation that assigned the CVE. Confirm against the vendor advisory before deciding you are unaffected.

How the severity score breaks down

Attack vector
LocalThe attacker needs local access or must trick a user into running something.
Attack complexity
LowNo special conditions are needed; the attack works reliably.
Privileges required
LowA basic user account is enough.
User interaction
NoneNo action by a victim is required.
Scope
UnchangedImpact stays within the vulnerable component.
Confidentiality
HighAll data handled by the component can be read.
Integrity
HighData or code can be modified at will.
Availability
HighThe component can be taken down completely.

Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H. Scored by NVD.

Official description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: media: rc: bpf attach/detach requires write permission Note that bpf attach/detach also requires CAP_NET_ADMIN.

Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.

The underlying weakness: Missing Authorization

The product does not perform an authorization check when an actor attempts to access a resource or perform an action.

How developers prevent this class of flaw

  • Divide the product into anonymous, normal, privileged, and administrative areas. Reduce the attack surface by carefully mapping roles with data and functionality. Use role-based access control (RBAC) to enforce the roles at the appropriate boundaries. Note that this approach may not protect against horizontal authorization, i.e., it will not protect a user from attacking others with the same role.
  • Ensure that access control checks are performed related to the business logic. These checks may be different than the access control checks that are applied to more generic resources such as files, connections, processes, memory, and database records. For example, a database may restrict access for medical records to a specific database user, but each record might only be intended to be accessible to the patient and the patient's doctor.
  • Use a vetted library or framework that does not allow this weakness to occur or provides constructs that make this weakness easier to avoid. For example, consider using authorization frameworks such as the JAAS Authorization Framework and the OWASP ESAPI Access Control feature.

More Missing Authorization vulnerabilities (CWE-862)

Timeline

  1. CVE record published.
  2. CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: no, technical impact: partial).
  3. Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).

References

Recent Missing Authorization vulnerabilities

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