CVE-2024-9050

Summary

A flaw was found in the libreswan client plugin for NetworkManager (NetkworkManager-libreswan), where it fails to properly sanitize the VPN configuration from the local unprivileged user. In this configuration, composed by a key-value format, the plugin fails to escape special characters, leading the application to interpret values as keys. One of the most critical parameters that could be abused by a malicious user is the leftupdownkey. This key takes an executable command as a value and is used to specify what executes as a callback in NetworkManager-libreswan to retrieve configuration settings back to NetworkManager. As NetworkManager uses Polkit to allow an unprivileged user to control the system's network configuration, a malicious actor could achieve local privilege escalation and potential code execution as root in the targeted machine by creating a malicious configuration.

Affected Software

VendorProductVersion RangeStatus
0 < 1.2.24affected
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 7.7 Advanced Update Support0:1.2.4-4.el7_7 < *unaffected
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 7 Extended Lifecycle Support0:1.2.4-4.el7_9 < *unaffected
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 80:1.2.10-7.el8_10 < *unaffected
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 8.2 Advanced Update Support0:1.2.10-6.el8_2 < *unaffected
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 8.4 Advanced Mission Critical Update Support0:1.2.10-6.el8_4 < *unaffected
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 8.4 Telecommunications Update Service0:1.2.10-6.el8_4 < *unaffected
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 8.4 Update Services for SAP Solutions0:1.2.10-6.el8_4 < *unaffected
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 8.6 Advanced Mission Critical Update Support0:1.2.10-6.el8_6 < *unaffected
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 8.6 Telecommunications Update Service0:1.2.10-6.el8_6 < *unaffected
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 8.6 Update Services for SAP Solutions0:1.2.10-6.el8_6 < *unaffected
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 8.8 Extended Update Support0:1.2.10-6.el8_8 < *unaffected
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 90:1.2.22-4.el9_5 < *unaffected
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 9.0 Update Services for SAP Solutions0:1.2.14-3.el9_0 < *unaffected
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 9.2 Extended Update Support0:1.2.14-6.el9_2 < *unaffected
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 9.4 Extended Update Support0:1.2.18-6.el9_4 < *unaffected

Weaknesses

  • CWE-94: Improper Control of Generation of Code ('Code Injection')

Workarounds

A mitigation for this issue is either unavailable or the existing options do not meet Red Hat Product Security's standards for ease of use, deployment, widespread applicability, or stability.

One potential approach is to prevent local users from controlling networking through polkit. However, this would also block them from connecting to new Wi-Fi networks, which is not ideal for laptops but might be acceptable for workstations. Server customers typically don't need to be concerned, as they generally don't have local users capable of exploiting the bug.

ADP Enrichment

CISA ADP Vulnrichment

  • SSVC:
  • Exploitation: none
    • Automatable: no
    • Technical Impact: total

CVE Program Container

Additional References

References