CVE-2019-13272
Linux Kernel Improper Privilege Management
- Published17 Jul 2019
- Added to CISA KEV10 Dec 2021
- Remediation due10 Jun 2022
Description
In the Linux kernel before 5.1.17, ptrace_link in kernel/ptrace.c mishandles the recording of the credentials of a process that wants to create a ptrace relationship, which allows local users to obtain root access by leveraging certain scenarios with a parent-child process relationship, where a parent drops privileges and calls execve (potentially allowing control by an attacker). One contributing factor is an object lifetime issue (which can also cause a panic). Another contributing factor is incorrect marking of a ptrace relationship as privileged, which is exploitable through (for example) Polkit's pkexec helper with PTRACE_TRACEME. NOTE: SELinux deny_ptrace might be a usable workaround in some environments.
CVSS 3.1 breakdown
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:HAffected products
Remediation
- https://bugs.chromium.org/p/project-zero/issues/detail?id=1903
- https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1730895
- https://bugzilla.suse.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1140671
- https://cdn.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/v5.x/ChangeLog-5.1.17
- https://github.com/torvalds/linux/commit/6994eefb0053799d2e07cd140df6c2ea106c41ee
- https://git.kernel.org/cgit/linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux.git/commit/?id=6994eefb0053799d2e07cd140df6c2ea106c41ee
References
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/153663/Linux-PTRACE_TRACEME-Broken-Permission-Object-Lifetime-Handling.html
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/153702/Slackware-Security-Advisory-Slackware-14.2-kernel-Updates.html
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/154245/Kernel-Live-Patch-Security-Notice-LSN-0054-1.html
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/154957/Linux-Polkit-pkexec-Helper-PTRACE_TRACEME-Local-Root.html
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/156929/Linux-PTRACE_TRACEME-Local-Root.html
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/165051/Linux-Kernel-5.1.x-PTRACE_TRACEME-pkexec-Local-Privilege-Escalation.html
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2019:2405
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2019:2411
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2019:2809
- https://bugs.chromium.org/p/project-zero/issues/detail?id=1903
and 20 more references
Frequently asked
Is CVE-2019-13272 being actively exploited?
Yes. CVE-2019-13272 is listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, added 10 Dec 2021.
How severe is CVE-2019-13272?
CVE-2019-13272 has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.8, rated high. EPSS estimates a 52.2% probability of exploitation.
Which products are affected by CVE-2019-13272?
Affected products include Netapp Active Iq Unified Manager, Netapp E-series Performance Analyzer, Netapp E-series Santricity OS Controller, Netapp Hci Management Node, Netapp Service Processor, and 17 more.
How do I fix CVE-2019-13272?
Upgrade affected software to a fixed version, for example Linux Kernel 3.16.71 or later, then confirm no affected versions remain in your inventory.
How Secuno handles this
Secuno correlates vulnerabilities like CVE-2019-13272 against the real software inventory on every managed device, as each hourly inventory arrives. Rather than a static severity, each match is scored in context: exploit availability, EPSS, the asset's exposure, and business criticality decide where it lands in the queue. Because it is on the CISA KEV list, a risk for it never ranks below high, and the update that fixes it moves to the Emergency patch lane. If an affected version is present anywhere across your portfolio, it surfaces automatically with a prioritised remediation path.
Data from the NVD, CISA KEV catalog and FIRST EPSS. CVSS 3.1 base score shown where available.