Auth bypass in Canonical Ubuntu Linux
CVE-2017-6590
An issue was discovered in network-manager-applet (aka network-manager-gnome) in Ubuntu 12.04 LTS, 14.04 LTS, 16.04 LTS, and 16.10. A local attacker could use this issue at the default Ubuntu login screen to access local files and execute arbitrary commands as the lightdm user. The exploitation requires physical access to the locked computer and the Wi-Fi must be turned on. An access point that lets you use a certificate to login is required as well, but it's easy to create one. Then, it's possible to open a nautilus window and browse directories. One also can open some applications such as Firefox, which is useful for downloading malicious binaries.
Vulnerability class: Broken Access Control
EPSS: 0.003 (18.9th percentile) — read the EPSS interpretation.
CVSS v3 metric
CVSS v3 base score 6.3 (Medium). Vector: CVSS:3.0/AV:P/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H.
Affected products
- Canonical Ubuntu_linux — versions 12.04, 14.04, 16.04
- N/a — versions n/a
Weakness classification (CWE)
References
- cve@mitre.org (x_refsource_CONFIRM, Patch, Vendor Advisory)
- cve@mitre.org (vendor-advisory, x_refsource_GENTOO)
- cve@mitre.org (x_refsource_CONFIRM, Patch, Issue Tracking)
- cve@mitre.org (Exploit, Third Party Advisory, x_refsource_MISC)
- cve@mitre.org (vdb-entry, x_refsource_SECTRACK)
Frequently asked questions
- What is CVE-2017-6590?
- CVE-2017-6590 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Canonical Ubuntu Linux, classified under Incorrect Authorization. CVSS score: 6.3/10. Published 2017-03-09.
- How severe is CVE-2017-6590?
- Medium severity. CVSS v3 base score is 6.3 out of 10.