CVE-2020-10286 in RVD
Summary
by MITRE
the main user account has restricted privileges but is in the sudoers group and there is not any mechanism in place to prevent sudo su or sudo -i to be run gaining unrestricted access to sensible files, encryption, or issue orders that disrupt robot operation.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/02/2020
This vulnerability represents a critical privilege escalation flaw in Unix-like operating systems where a standard user account possesses membership in the sudoers group despite having restricted privileges. The core technical issue stems from inadequate sudo configuration that fails to properly restrict elevated command execution capabilities. According to CWE-284, this constitutes an improper access control vulnerability where the system grants excessive privileges to users who should otherwise be restricted. The vulnerability specifically enables attackers to bypass normal access controls through the sudo command with either the su or -i flags, which allows for unrestricted root access to sensitive system resources including encryption keys, system files, and operational controls. This flaw directly violates the principle of least privilege and creates a direct path for unauthorized access to critical system components.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe and multifaceted as it provides attackers with complete administrative control over affected systems. Once exploited, malicious actors can access encrypted data, modify system configurations, install backdoors, and potentially disrupt automated robotic operations that depend on secure system integrity. The ability to execute sudo su or sudo -i commands effectively neutralizes any privilege restrictions imposed on the user account, creating a full compromise scenario. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps directly to T1068 (Local Privilege Escalation) and T1548.003 (Abuse Elevation Control Mechanism) where the adversary leverages legitimate system tools to gain elevated privileges. The vulnerability essentially transforms a restricted user account into a full administrative account without proper audit trails or monitoring mechanisms.
Mitigation strategies must address both the immediate configuration issues and implement broader security controls. The primary recommendation involves implementing strict sudoers file restrictions using the NOPASSWD directive only for specific, necessary commands while removing blanket access to su and -i flags. Organizations should deploy comprehensive audit logging for all sudo executions and implement monitoring solutions to detect anomalous privilege escalation activities. The principle of least privilege must be strictly enforced through proper user account management and access control policies. Additionally, system administrators should implement mandatory access controls, regular privilege reviews, and automated security scanning to identify similar misconfigurations across the enterprise. According to NIST SP 800-53, this vulnerability highlights the need for proper access control mechanisms and audit logging controls. The remediation process should include comprehensive security assessments of all sudo configurations, implementation of privilege separation techniques, and establishment of continuous monitoring procedures to prevent unauthorized privilege escalation attempts.