sudo: Arbitrary command execution

1. Gentoo Linux Security Advisory

Advisory Reference	GLSA 200506-22 / sudo
Release Date	June 23, 2005
Latest Revision	June 23, 2005: 01
Impact	normal
Exploitable	local

Package	Vulnerable versions	Unaffected versions	Architecture(s)
app-admin/sudo	< 1.6.8_p9	>= 1.6.8_p9	All supported architectures

Related bugreports: #96618

Synopsis

A vulnerability in sudo may allow local users to elevate privileges.

2. Impact Information

Background

sudo allows a system administrator to give users the ability to run commands as other users.

Description

The sudoers file is used to define the actions sudo users are permitted to perform. Charles Morris discovered that a specific layout of the sudoers file could cause the results of an internal check to be clobbered, leaving sudo vulnerable to a race condition.

Impact

Successful exploitation would permit a local sudo user to execute arbitrary commands as another user.

3. Resolution Information

Workaround

Reorder the sudoers file using the visudo utility to ensure the 'ALL' pseudo-command precedes other command definitions.

Resolution

All sudo users should upgrade to the latest version:

Code Listing 3.1: Resolution

# emerge --sync
# emerge --ask --oneshot --verbose ">=app-admin/sudo-1.6.8_p9"

4. References

Sudo Announcement

Page updated June 23, 2005

Summary: This is a Gentoo Linux Security Advisory

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