CVE-2015-1336 in man-db
Summary
by MITRE
The daily mandb cleanup job in Man-db before 2.7.6.1-1 as packaged in Ubuntu and Debian allows local users with access to the man account to gain privileges via vectors involving insecure chown use.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/25/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-1336 resides within the man-db package version 2.7.6.1-1 and earlier versions distributed through Ubuntu and Debian operating systems. This issue specifically affects the daily mandb cleanup job that is responsible for maintaining the manual page database. The flaw manifests in the insecure handling of file ownership operations during the cleanup process, creating a privilege escalation vector for local attackers who have access to the man account. The vulnerability represents a critical security weakness in the package management and system administration components of these widely deployed linux distributions.
The technical flaw involves the improper use of the chown system call within the mandb cleanup script, which allows malicious users with access to the man account to manipulate file ownership in ways that can lead to privilege escalation. This insecure chown usage typically occurs when the cleanup job performs ownership changes without proper validation or when it operates with elevated privileges that should not be accessible to regular users. The vulnerability is classified as a privilege escalation issue that aligns with CWE-269 Improper Privilege Management and CWE-787 Out-of-bounds Write, as it allows unauthorized users to manipulate system resources beyond their intended access levels. The flaw exploits the trust model between system components and the user account that should remain restricted.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant for systems running affected versions of man-db, as it provides a straightforward path for local attackers to escalate their privileges from the man account to root or other elevated permissions. This vulnerability can be exploited in environments where the man account is accessible to untrusted users or where system administrators have not properly secured the man account. The attack vector typically involves the exploitation of the cleanup job's insecure chown operations to manipulate system files or directories that are normally protected from modification by non-privileged users. This type of vulnerability directly impacts the principle of least privilege and can lead to complete system compromise if not addressed promptly.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2015-1336 involve updating to man-db version 2.7.6.1-1 or later, which contains the patched cleanup job implementation that properly handles file ownership operations. System administrators should also review and secure the man account access through proper account management and privilege restrictions. The fix addresses the underlying insecure chown use by implementing proper validation of ownership changes and ensuring that cleanup operations do not inadvertently grant elevated privileges to local users. Organizations should also monitor for similar privilege escalation vulnerabilities in other system components and maintain updated security patches across all system packages. This vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper privilege management and secure coding practices in system administration tools, aligning with ATT&CK technique T1068 Privilege Escalation through the exploitation of insecure system operations.