Checkmk: Least Privilege Violation
CVE-2024-28824 is a high-severity least privilege violation vulnerability in Checkmk, 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 2.3.0b4, 2.2.0p24, 2.1.0p41 as the first without the flaw, so updating Checkmk to one of those releases or later removes the exposure. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.18% chance of exploitation within 30 days, which is low compared with other CVEs.
High severity with no evidence of exploitation so far.
What to do
- Update Checkmk to 2.3.0b4 or 2.2.0p24 or 2.1.0p41, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
- Update checkmk to 2.1.0p41 or 2.2.0p24 or 2.3.0b4, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
- Read the advisory on checkmk.com for workarounds and exact fixed builds.
Affected products and versions
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Checkmk | Checkmk | 2.3.0 up to, but not including, 2.3.0b4; 2.2.0 up to, but not including, 2.2.0p24; 2.1.0 up to, but not including, 2.1.0p41; 2.0.0 through 2.0.0p39 | 2.3.0b4, 2.2.0p24, 2.1.0p41 |
| Tribe29 | checkmk | 2.1.0 up to, but not including, 2.1.0p41; 2.2.0 up to, but not including, 2.2.0p24; 2.3.0 up to, but not including, 2.3.0b4; 2.0.0 and later | 2.1.0p41, 2.2.0p24, 2.3.0b4 |
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.
| Scoring system | Score | Severity | Scored by |
|---|---|---|---|
| CVSS 3.1 | 8.8 | High | CNA (checkmk.com) |
| CVSS 3.1 | 7.8 | High | NVD |
Official description
Least privilege violation and reliance on untrusted inputs in the mk_informix Checkmk agent plugin before Checkmk 2.3.0b4 (beta), 2.2.0p24, 2.1.0p41 and 2.0.0 (EOL) allows local users to escalate privileges.
Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.
The underlying weakness: Least Privilege Violation
The elevated privilege level required to perform operations such as chroot() should be dropped immediately after the operation is performed.
How developers prevent this class of flaw
- Very carefully manage the setting, management, and handling of privileges. Explicitly manage trust zones in the software.
- Follow the principle of least privilege when assigning access rights to entities in a software system.
- Compartmentalize the system to have safe areas where trust boundaries can be unambiguously drawn. Do not allow sensitive data to go outside of the trust boundary and always be careful when interfacing with a compartment outside of the safe area. Ensure that appropriate compartmentalization is built into the system design, and the compartmentalization allows for and reinforces privilege separation functionality. Architects and designers should rely on the principle of least privilege to decide the appropriate time to use privileges and the time to drop privileges.
Timeline
- CVE record published.
- CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: no, technical impact: total).
- Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).
References
Advisories
Other vulnerabilities in Checkmk
- 9.4 Critical severity
- 9.4 Critical severity
- 9.4 Critical severity
- 7.1 High severity
- 8.6 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
Recent Least Privilege Violation vulnerabilities
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.1 High severity
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