**Severe Linux Vulnerability Impacts Ubuntu Systems: Protect Your System from Privilege Escalation**
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As per the latest discovery by Security Researchers S. Tzadik and S. Tamari at Wiz, two new privilege escalation vulnerabilities, codenamed “GameOver(Lay),” have been found in the widely used Filesystem OverlayFS. Shockingly, these vulnerabilities affect approximately 40% of Ubuntu users worldwide. Read on to learn more about these vulnerabilities and how you can check if your Ubuntu system is vulnerable.
**Introduction**
Ubuntu’s popularity as a Linux distribution makes it a prime target for attackers looking to exploit vulnerabilities. Recently, two significant vulnerabilities, CVE-2023-2640 and CVE-2023-32629, have been identified. These vulnerabilities allow unauthorized users to gain privileged access to Ubuntu systems. It is crucial for Ubuntu users to be aware of these vulnerabilities and take appropriate measures to protect their systems.
**CVE-2023-2640: High-Severity Vulnerability**
CVE-2023-2640 is a high-severity vulnerability with a CVSS v3 score of 7.8. It affects Ubuntu Kernels above version 5.15.0. This vulnerability enables underprivileged users to set privileged extended attributes on mounted files or file systems. By exploiting this vulnerability, attackers can gain higher privileges and potentially compromise the entire system.
**CVE-2023-32629: Medium-Severity Vulnerability**
CVE-2023-32629 is a medium-severity vulnerability with a CVSS v3 score of 5.4. It affects all Linux Kernels with version 5.4.0. This vulnerability exploits a race condition in the kernel’s memory management subsystem, allowing arbitrary code execution. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to escalate their privileges on the compromised system.
**The Origin of the Vulnerabilities**
These vulnerabilities trace back to 2018 when Ubuntu introduced changes to its version of the OverlayFS module. The modifications included the setting of extended attributes to define user permissions. However, the Linux Kernel Project raised objections to these changes. When Linux released a fix for the vulnerability in 2020, the modifications did not carry over, resulting in the existing vulnerabilities.
Ami Luttwak, Wiz’s chief technical officer and co-founder, commented on these vulnerabilities, stating, “Subtle changes in the Linux kernel introduced by Ubuntu many years ago have unforeseen implications. We found two privilege escalation vulnerabilities caused by these changes, and who knows how many other vulnerabilities are still lurking in the shadows of the Linux kernel spaghetti?”
**Mitigating the Risks**
Fortunately, the vulnerabilities require local user access to exploit them, limiting the potential attack surface. Mike Parkin, senior technical engineer at Vulcan Cyber, reassured Ubuntu users, stating, “Remote exploitation seems very unlikely.” However, it is vital to act promptly to protect your system.
Canonical, the company behind Ubuntu, has released patches to address these vulnerabilities. If your system utilizes the affected OverlayFS module, it is crucial to update your kernel as soon as possible.
**Versions of Ubuntu Affected**
The following Ubuntu versions have been compromised, according to Wiz’s findings:
Ubuntu 23.04 (Lunar Lobster)
– Kernel Version: 6.2.0
– Vulnerable to CVE-2023-2640: Yes
– Vulnerable to CVE-2023-32629: Yes
Ubuntu 22.10 (Kinetic Kudu)
– Kernel Version: 5.19.0
– Vulnerable to CVE-2023-2640: Yes
– Vulnerable to CVE-2023-32629: Yes
Ubuntu 22.04 LTS (Jammy Jellyfish)
– Kernel Version: 5.19.0
– Vulnerable to CVE-2023-2640: Yes
– Vulnerable to CVE-2023-32629: Yes
Ubuntu 22.04 LTS (Jammy Jellyfish)
– Kernel Version: 6.2.0
– Vulnerable to CVE-2023-2640: Yes
– Vulnerable to CVE-2023-32629: Yes
Ubuntu 22.04 LTS (Jammy Jellyfish)
– Kernel Version: 5.15.0
– Vulnerable to CVE-2023-2640: No
– Vulnerable to CVE-2023-32629: No
Ubuntu 20.04 LTS (Focal Fossa)
– Kernel Version: 5.15.0
– Vulnerable to CVE-2023-2640: No
– Vulnerable to CVE-2023-32629: No
Ubuntu 20.04 LTS (Focal Fossa)
– Kernel Version: 5.4.0
– Vulnerable to CVE-2023-2640: No
– Vulnerable to CVE-2023-32629: Yes
Ubuntu 18.04 LTS (Bionic Beaver)
– Kernel Version: 5.4.0
– Vulnerable to CVE-2023-2640: No
– Vulnerable to CVE-2023-32629: Yes
**Checking Vulnerability Status**
To determine if your Ubuntu system is vulnerable to these exploits, follow these steps:
1. Execute the following command to check your Ubuntu version: `cat /etc/os-release`
2. Check the kernel version number using the command: `uname -r`
**Resolving the Linux Vulnerability in Ubuntu**
Canonical has released an update that fixes the eight recent vulnerabilities, including the ones discussed. To update your system to the new kernel version 6.2.0, follow these steps:
1. Begin by updating and upgrading your Ubuntu system using the command: `sudo apt update && apt upgrade`
2. After completing the standard system update, reboot your computer to apply the necessary changes with the following command: `sudo shutdown -r now`
By adhering to these steps, you can ensure the security and stability of your Ubuntu system, protecting it from potential privilege escalation.
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