CVE-2014-5033 in kdelibs
Summary
by MITRE
KDE kdelibs before 4.14 and kauth before 5.1 does not properly use D-Bus for communication with a polkit authority, which allows local users to bypass intended access restrictions by leveraging a PolkitUnixProcess PolkitSubject race condition via a (1) setuid process or (2) pkexec process, related to CVE-2013-4288 and "PID reuse race conditions."
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/15/2024
The vulnerability described in CVE-2014-5033 represents a critical flaw in the KDE kdelibs and kauth components that affects systems running KDE desktop environments prior to version 4.14 and kauth version 5.1. This issue stems from improper handling of D-Bus communication with the polkit authority, creating a security boundary that can be exploited by local attackers to circumvent access controls that should otherwise restrict system privileges. The flaw specifically targets the interaction between KDE's authentication mechanisms and the underlying polkit authorization system, which is designed to manage privileges for system operations. The vulnerability manifests through a race condition involving PolkitUnixProcess PolkitSubject objects, where the timing of process creation and destruction creates opportunities for privilege escalation attacks.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability relies on a PID reuse race condition that occurs when processes are created and destroyed rapidly within the system. Attackers can leverage this race condition by first creating a setuid process or utilizing pkexec to establish a privileged context, then immediately terminating that process to allow its PID to be reused by a subsequent malicious process. This allows the attacker to manipulate the PolkitSubject object that represents the process, effectively impersonating the original privileged process and gaining unauthorized access to system resources that should be restricted to authorized users. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it operates at the kernel level where D-Bus communication with polkit occurs, making it difficult to detect and prevent through standard application-level security measures. This flaw directly relates to CVE-2013-4288 which also addressed similar PID reuse vulnerabilities in the broader Linux ecosystem, demonstrating how such race conditions can persist across different components and implementations.
The operational impact of CVE-2014-5033 is severe for organizations running affected KDE environments, as it provides local attackers with a means to escalate privileges without requiring authentication or physical access to the system. The vulnerability essentially allows any local user to bypass the intended access restrictions that should prevent unauthorized operations, potentially enabling attackers to perform actions such as installing malicious software, modifying system files, or accessing sensitive data. This privilege escalation capability can be particularly devastating in enterprise environments where KDE desktops are widely deployed, as it could allow attackers to move laterally within the network or establish persistent access to critical systems. The attack vector is particularly insidious because it requires minimal privileges to execute and can be automated, making it a preferred method for attackers seeking to establish footholds within compromised systems.
Organizations should immediately update their KDE kdelibs and kauth components to versions 4.14 or later, or 5.1 respectively, to address this vulnerability. System administrators should also implement monitoring for suspicious D-Bus activity and process creation patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The mitigation strategy should include comprehensive patch management procedures and regular security assessments of desktop environments to identify similar vulnerabilities. From a cybersecurity perspective, this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1068 which covers 'Exploitation for Privilege Escalation' and CWE-362 which addresses 'Concurrent Execution using Shared Resource with Improper Synchronization'. Organizations should also consider implementing additional security controls such as mandatory access controls, process monitoring, and D-Bus policy restrictions to reduce the attack surface and prevent exploitation of similar race condition vulnerabilities. The incident highlights the importance of proper synchronization mechanisms in security-critical code and the need for thorough testing of authentication and authorization flows in desktop environments.