CVE-2019-15793

In shiftfs, a non-upstream patch to the Linux kernel included in the Ubuntu 5.0 and 5.3 kernel series, several locations which shift ids translate user/group ids before performing operations in the lower filesystem were translating them into init_user_ns, whereas they should have been translated into the s_user_ns for the lower filesystem. This resulted in using ids other than the intended ones in the lower fs, which likely did not map into the shifts s_user_ns. A local attacker could use this to possibly bypass discretionary access control permissions.

Weakness

During installation, installed file permissions are set to allow anyone to modify those files.

Affected Software

Potential Mitigations

• Compartmentalize the system to have “safe” areas where trust boundaries can be unambiguously drawn. Do not allow sensitive data to go outside of the trust boundary and always be careful when interfacing with a compartment outside of the safe area.
• Ensure that appropriate compartmentalization is built into the system design, and the compartmentalization allows for and reinforces privilege separation functionality. Architects and designers should rely on the principle of least privilege to decide the appropriate time to use privileges and the time to drop privileges.

Related Attack Patterns

• https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/1.html
• https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/127.html
• https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/81.html

References

• https://git.launchpad.net/~ubuntu-kernel/ubuntu/+source/linux/+git/eoan/commit/?id=3644b9d5688da86f18e017c9c580b75cf52927bb
• https://usn.ubuntu.com/usn/usn-4183-1
• https://usn.ubuntu.com/usn/usn-4184-1