CVE-2024-42472
Description
A sandbox escape vulnerability was found in Flatpak due to a symlink-following issue when mounting persistent directories. This flaw allows a local user or attacker to craft a symbolic link that can bypass the intended restrictions, enabling access to and modification of files outside the designated sandbox. As a result, the attacker could potentially manipulate the file system, leading to unauthorized actions that compromise the security and integrity of the system.
Statement
This vulnerability in Flatpak represents a significant severity issue due to its potential to undermine the core principles of application sandboxing, which are designed to isolate applications and protect the integrity and confidentiality of the system. By exploiting the persistent=subdir option, a malicious or compromised application can manipulate bind mounts via symlinks, thereby escaping the confines of its designated sandbox. This allows unauthorized access to the host filesystem, enabling the potential for unauthorized data manipulation, exfiltration, or system compromise. The risk is further exacerbated by the presence of a race condition, which can be exploited by running multiple instances of a malicious app concurrently.
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 Hat | NVD | cve.org | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base Score | 7.4 | N/A | N/A |
| Attack Vector | Network | N/A | N/A |
| Attack Complexity | High | N/A | N/A |
| Privileges Required | None | N/A | N/A |
| User Interaction | None | N/A | N/A |
| Scope | Unchanged | N/A | N/A |
| Confidentiality | High | N/A | N/A |
| Integrity Impact | High | N/A | N/A |
| Availability Impact | None | N/A | N/A |
Vector
Red Hat: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N
Understanding the Weakness (CWE)
Confidentiality
Technical Impact: Read Application Data
Many injection attacks involve the disclosure of important information -- in terms of both data sensitivity and usefulness in further exploitation.
Access Control
Technical Impact: Bypass Protection Mechanism
In some cases, injectable code controls authentication; this may lead to a remote vulnerability.
Other
Technical Impact: Alter Execution Logic
Injection attacks are characterized by the ability to significantly change the flow of a given process, and in some cases, to the execution of arbitrary code.
Integrity,Other
Technical Impact: Other
Data injection attacks lead to loss of data integrity in nearly all cases as the control-plane data injected is always incidental to data recall or writing.
Non-Repudiation
Technical Impact: Hide Activities
Often the actions performed by injected control code are unlogged.
Frequently Asked Questions
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