CVE-2010-2198 in RPM Package Manager
Summary
by MITRE
lib/fsm.c in RPM 4.8.0 and earlier does not properly reset the metadata of an executable file during replacement of the file in an RPM package upgrade or deletion of the file in an RPM package removal, which might allow local users to gain privileges or bypass intended access restrictions by creating a hard link to a vulnerable file that has (1) POSIX file capabilities or (2) SELinux context information, a related issue to CVE-2010-2059.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/26/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2010-2198 resides within the RPM package management system's file state machine implementation in versions 4.8.0 and earlier. This flaw manifests in the lib/fsm.c component where the metadata associated with executable files fails to be properly reset during package upgrade or removal operations. The root cause stems from inadequate handling of file metadata persistence when RPM performs file replacement operations, creating a scenario where legacy file attributes can persist beyond their intended lifecycle. This vulnerability represents a significant security risk as it directly impacts the integrity of file access controls within Linux systems that rely on RPM for package management.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs through the creation of hard links to affected files that possess either POSIX file capabilities or SELinux context information. When RPM upgrades or removes packages containing executable files, the system should properly clear or reset the metadata associated with these files. However, due to the improper reset mechanism, files that are subsequently replaced or deleted retain their previous metadata attributes including capabilities and security contexts. This persistence allows attackers to maintain elevated privileges or access restrictions that should have been removed during the package operation, effectively bypassing intended security controls.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability enables local privilege escalation attacks where malicious users can leverage the retained file capabilities or SELinux contexts to execute unauthorized operations. The impact extends beyond simple privilege escalation as it can undermine the entire security framework of systems relying on RPM package management. Attackers can exploit this weakness to maintain persistent access to system resources, bypass mandatory access controls, and potentially compromise the integrity of the entire package management ecosystem. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous in multi-user environments where different security contexts and capabilities are expected to be properly managed.
The flaw aligns with CWE-276, which addresses improper privilege management, and demonstrates characteristics consistent with privilege escalation vulnerabilities in package management systems. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to T1068, privilege escalation, and T1548.001, abuse of sudo, as it enables attackers to maintain elevated privileges through file capability persistence. The vulnerability also relates to T1562.001,_impairing defenses, by undermining the package management security controls that should enforce proper file access restrictions. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including upgrading to RPM versions 4.8.1 and later, where this issue has been resolved through proper metadata reset mechanisms, and conducting comprehensive security audits to identify systems with vulnerable RPM installations. Additionally, system administrators should review existing file capabilities and SELinux contexts on critical system files to ensure no retained privileges exist from previous package operations.