CVE-2019-18897

A UNIX Symbolic Link (Symlink) Following vulnerability in the packaging of salt of SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 12, SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15; openSUSE Factory allows local attackers to escalate privileges from user salt to root. This issue affects: SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 12 salt-master version 2019.2.0-46.83.1 and prior versions. SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 salt-master version 2019.2.0-6.21.1 and prior versions. openSUSE Factory salt-master version 2019.2.2-3.1 and prior versions.

Weakness

The product attempts to access a file based on the filename, but it does not properly prevent that filename from identifying a link or shortcut that resolves to an unintended resource.

Affected Software

Potential Mitigations

• Follow the principle of least privilege when assigning access rights to entities in a software system.
• Denying access to a file can prevent an attacker from replacing that file with a link to a sensitive file. Ensure good compartmentalization in the system to provide protected areas that can be trusted.

Related Attack Patterns

• https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/132.html
• https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/17.html
• https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/35.html
• https://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/76.html

References

• http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2020-03/msg00026.html
• https://bugzilla.suse.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1157465