CVE-2021-41617

Description

A flaw was found in OpenSSH. Helper programs for AuthorizedKeysCommand and AuthorizedPrincipalsCommand may run with privileges associated with group memberships of the sshd process, if the configuration specifies running the command as a different user. Depending on system configuration, inherited groups may allow AuthorizedKeysCommand/AuthorizedPrincipalsCommand helper programs to gain unintended privileges, potentially leading to local privilege escalation.

Statement

Neither the AuthorizedKeysCommand directive nor AuthorizedPrincipalsCommand are enabled by default in the versions of OpenSSH as shipped with Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 and 8.

Mitigation

Mitigation for this issue is either not available or the currently available options do not meet the Red Hat Product Security criteria comprising ease of use and deployment, applicability to widespread installation base or stability.

Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS) Score Details

Info alert:Important note

CVSS scores for open source components depend on vendor-specific factors (e.g. version or build chain). Therefore, Red Hat's score and impact rating can be different from NVD and other vendors. Red Hat remains the authoritative CVE Naming Authority (CNA) source for its products and services (see Red Hat classifications).

CVSS v3 Score Breakdown

Red HatNVDcve.org
Base Score77N/A
Attack VectorLocalLocalN/A
Attack ComplexityHighHighN/A
Privileges RequiredLowLowN/A
User InteractionNoneNoneN/A
ScopeUnchangedUnchangedN/A
ConfidentialityHighHighN/A
Integrity ImpactHighHighN/A
Availability ImpactHighHighN/A

Vector

Red Hat: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

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

Understanding the Weakness (CWE)

Access Control

Technical Impact: Gain Privileges or Assume Identity

If privileges are not dropped, neither are access rights of the user. Often these rights can be prevented from being dropped.

Access Control,Non-Repudiation

Technical Impact: Gain Privileges or Assume Identity; Hide Activities

If privileges are not dropped, in some cases the system may record actions as the user which is being impersonated rather than the impersonator.

Frequently Asked Questions

Want to get errata notifications? Sign up here.