CVE-2006-1052 in Linux
Summary
by MITRE
The selinux_ptrace logic in hooks.c in SELinux for Linux 2.6.6 allows local users with ptrace permissions to change the tracer SID to an SID of another process.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/21/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2006-1052 resides within the Security-Enhanced Linux (SELinux) implementation for the Linux kernel version 2.6.6, specifically within the selinux_ptrace logic located in the hooks.c file. This flaw represents a significant security weakness in the mandatory access control (MAC) framework that SELinux employs to enforce security policies. The vulnerability occurs at the kernel level where SELinux manages process tracing operations through the ptrace system call, creating an opportunity for privilege escalation and unauthorized access to security contexts.
The technical flaw stems from insufficient validation of tracer security identifiers (SIDs) during ptrace operations. When a local user possesses ptrace permissions, they can exploit this vulnerability to manipulate the security context of their tracer process, effectively allowing them to change the tracer SID to match that of another process. This behavior violates the fundamental principles of SELinux's security model where processes should maintain distinct security contexts that prevent unauthorized access to resources and information. The flaw essentially enables a user to bypass the normal security boundaries that SELinux enforces, potentially allowing them to access data or perform operations that should be restricted based on the security policies defined by the system administrator.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation, as it undermines the core security guarantees provided by SELinux. An attacker with ptrace permissions could potentially access sensitive information from processes running under different security contexts, compromise system integrity, and escalate privileges to gain unauthorized access to system resources. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it allows local users to manipulate security contexts without requiring additional privileges, making it a low-barrier attack vector that could be exploited by malicious users already within the system. This type of vulnerability directly violates the principle of least privilege and can lead to complete system compromise if exploited by an attacker with sufficient access to utilize ptrace functionality.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-276, which describes improper privileges, and represents a clear violation of the principle that processes should not be able to manipulate security contexts of other processes without proper authorization. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving privilege escalation and process injection, where an attacker can manipulate process security contexts to gain unauthorized access. The attack surface is primarily within the kernel's security module interface where user-space processes interact with kernel-level security controls. Mitigation strategies should include applying the appropriate kernel security patches that fix the ptrace SID validation logic, implementing additional monitoring for unauthorized ptrace operations, and ensuring that ptrace permissions are strictly controlled and limited to only those users who require them for legitimate debugging purposes. System administrators should also consider implementing additional logging and alerting mechanisms to detect suspicious ptrace activities that could indicate exploitation attempts.