PAM 'update-motd' Local Privilege Escalation Vulnerability

Bugtraq ID:	50192
Class:	Design Error
CVE:
Remote:	No
Local:	Yes
Published:	Oct 18 2011 12:00AM
Updated:	Oct 18 2011 12:00AM
Credit:	Stephane Chazelas
Vulnerable:	Ubuntu Ubuntu Linux 5.10 sparc Ubuntu Ubuntu Linux 5.10 powerpc Ubuntu Ubuntu Linux 5.10 i386 Ubuntu Ubuntu Linux 5.10 amd64 Ubuntu Ubuntu Linux 5.0 4 powerpc Ubuntu Ubuntu Linux 5.0 4 i386 Ubuntu Ubuntu Linux 5.0 4 amd64 Ubuntu Ubuntu Linux 4.1 ppc Ubuntu Ubuntu Linux 4.1 ia64 Ubuntu Ubuntu Linux 4.1 ia32 Ubuntu Ubuntu Linux 9.10 lpia Ubuntu Ubuntu Linux 9.10 i386 Ubuntu Ubuntu Linux 9.10 ARM Ubuntu Ubuntu Linux 9.10 amd64 Ubuntu Ubuntu Linux 9.10 Ubuntu Ubuntu Linux 9.04 sparc Ubuntu Ubuntu Linux 9.04 powerpc Ubuntu Ubuntu Linux 9.04 lpia Ubuntu Ubuntu Linux 9.04 i386 Ubuntu Ubuntu Linux 9.04 amd64 Ubuntu Ubuntu Linux 8.10 sparc Ubuntu Ubuntu Linux 8.10 powerpc Ubuntu Ubuntu Linux 8.10 lpia Ubuntu Ubuntu Linux 8.10 i386 Ubuntu Ubuntu Linux 8.10 amd64 Ubuntu Ubuntu Linux 8.04 LTS sparc Ubuntu Ubuntu Linux 8.04 LTS powerpc Ubuntu Ubuntu Linux 8.04 LTS lpia Ubuntu Ubuntu Linux 8.04 LTS i386 Ubuntu Ubuntu Linux 8.04 LTS amd64 Ubuntu Ubuntu Linux 7.10 sparc Ubuntu Ubuntu Linux 7.10 powerpc Ubuntu Ubuntu Linux 7.10 lpia Ubuntu Ubuntu Linux 7.10 i386 Ubuntu Ubuntu Linux 7.10 amd64 Ubuntu Ubuntu Linux 7.04 sparc Ubuntu Ubuntu Linux 7.04 powerpc Ubuntu Ubuntu Linux 7.04 i386 Ubuntu Ubuntu Linux 7.04 amd64 Ubuntu Ubuntu Linux 6.10 sparc Ubuntu Ubuntu Linux 6.10 powerpc Ubuntu Ubuntu Linux 6.10 i386 Ubuntu Ubuntu Linux 6.10 amd64 Ubuntu Ubuntu Linux 6.06 LTS sparc Ubuntu Ubuntu Linux 6.06 LTS powerpc Ubuntu Ubuntu Linux 6.06 LTS i386 Ubuntu Ubuntu Linux 6.06 LTS amd64 Ubuntu Ubuntu Linux 11.10 i386 Ubuntu Ubuntu Linux 11.10 amd64 Ubuntu Ubuntu Linux 11.04 powerpc Ubuntu Ubuntu Linux 11.04 i386 Ubuntu Ubuntu Linux 11.04 ARM Ubuntu Ubuntu Linux 11.04 amd64 Ubuntu Ubuntu Linux 11.04 Ubuntu Ubuntu Linux 10.10 powerpc Ubuntu Ubuntu Linux 10.10 i386 Ubuntu Ubuntu Linux 10.10 ARM Ubuntu Ubuntu Linux 10.10 amd64 Ubuntu Ubuntu Linux 10.10 Ubuntu Ubuntu Linux 10.04 sparc Ubuntu Ubuntu Linux 10.04 powerpc Ubuntu Ubuntu Linux 10.04 LTS Ubuntu Ubuntu Linux 10.04 i386 Ubuntu Ubuntu Linux 10.04 ARM Ubuntu Ubuntu Linux 10.04 amd64 Debian Linux 6.0 sparc Debian Linux 6.0 s/390 Debian Linux 6.0 powerpc Debian Linux 6.0 mips Debian Linux 6.0 ia-64 Debian Linux 6.0 ia-32 Debian Linux 6.0 arm Debian Linux 6.0 amd64 Debian Linux 6.0 amd64 Debian Linux 5.0 sparc Debian Linux 5.0 s/390 Debian Linux 5.0 powerpc Debian Linux 5.0 mipsel Debian Linux 5.0 mips Debian Linux 5.0 m68k Debian Linux 5.0 ia-64 Debian Linux 5.0 ia-32 Debian Linux 5.0 hppa Debian Linux 5.0 armel Debian Linux 5.0 arm Debian Linux 5.0 amd64 Debian Linux 5.0 alpha Debian Linux 5.0
Not Vulnerable:

PAM 'update-motd' Local Privilege Escalation Vulnerability

PAM is prone to a local privilege-escalation vulnerability.

A local attacker can exploit this issue to execute scripts in '/etc/update-motd.d' with kernel-level privileges, which may facilitate a compromise of the affected computer.

PAM 'update-motd' Local Privilege Escalation Vulnerability

Currently we are not aware of any working exploits. If you feel we are in error or if you are aware of more recent information, please mail us at: [email protected].

PAM 'update-motd' Local Privilege Escalation Vulnerability

Solution:
Updates are available. Please see the references for more information.

PAM 'update-motd' Local Privilege Escalation Vulnerability

References:

• Debian Homepage (Debian)
  
• pam_motd runs commands as root with unsanitised environment (Stephane Chazelas)
  
• Ubuntu Homepage (Ubuntu)