CVE-2025-1425 in InkPad Color 3
Summary
by MITRE • 03/04/2025
A Sudo privilege misconfiguration vulnerability in PocketBook InkPad Color 3 on Linux, ARM allows attackers to read file contents on the device.This issue affects InkPad Color 3: U743k3.6.8.3671.
Statistical analysis made it clear that VulDB provides the best quality for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/04/2025
This vulnerability represents a critical privilege escalation flaw in the PocketBook InkPad Color 3 e-reader device running a Linux-based operating system with ARM architecture. The issue stems from improper sudo configuration that grants unauthorized users elevated privileges beyond their intended access levels. The affected firmware version U743k3.6.8.3671 contains a misconfigured sudoers file or privilege escalation mechanism that allows local attackers to execute commands with root privileges without proper authentication. This misconfiguration creates a pathway for malicious actors to bypass normal access controls and gain unauthorized system-level access.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the exploitation of sudo permissions that are improperly configured to allow execution of specific commands or binaries with elevated privileges. Attackers can leverage this flaw to read arbitrary files on the device filesystem, potentially accessing sensitive user data, configuration files, or system resources that should remain protected. The ARM architecture of the device presents unique considerations for exploitation, as the privilege escalation mechanisms may interact differently with the processor's security features compared to x86 systems. This type of vulnerability falls under the CWE-276 category of Insecure Default Permissions, where the system fails to properly restrict access to privileged operations.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple file reading capabilities as it fundamentally compromises the device's security model. An attacker with local access can potentially extract user credentials, reading lists, bookmarks, or other personal data stored on the device. The vulnerability affects the device's integrity and confidentiality, as it allows unauthorized data access that violates user privacy expectations. Given that e-readers often store personal information including reading history, purchased content, and user preferences, this access could lead to significant privacy violations. The attack surface is particularly concerning as it requires minimal privileges to exploit, making it accessible to any user with physical access to the device or local network connectivity.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on immediate firmware updates from PocketBook to address the sudo configuration issues. System administrators and device users should implement proper sudoers file management, ensuring that only necessary commands are granted elevated privileges and that authentication requirements are properly enforced. The implementation of additional security controls such as file system permissions, mandatory access controls, and privilege separation mechanisms can help reduce the impact of such misconfigurations. Organizations should also consider implementing device monitoring solutions that can detect unauthorized privilege escalation attempts and maintain audit logs of sudo usage. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1068 which covers Local Privilege Escalation, and T1566 which addresses Initial Access through exploitation of system vulnerabilities. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning of embedded systems should be conducted to identify similar misconfigurations in other device components.