CVE-2025-4598 in systemd-coredump
Summary
by MITRE • 05/30/2025
A vulnerability was found in systemd-coredump. This flaw allows an attacker to force a SUID process to crash and replace it with a non-SUID binary to access the original's privileged process coredump, allowing the attacker to read sensitive data, such as /etc/shadow content, loaded by the original process.
A SUID binary or process has a special type of permission, which allows the process to run with the file owner's permissions, regardless of the user executing the binary. This allows the process to access more restricted data than unprivileged users or processes would be able to. An attacker can leverage this flaw by forcing a SUID process to crash and force the Linux kernel to recycle the process PID before systemd-coredump can analyze the /proc/pid/auxv file. If the attacker wins the race condition, they gain access to the original's SUID process coredump file. They can read sensitive content loaded into memory by the original binary, affecting data confidentiality.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/11/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2025-4598 resides within systemd-coredump, a critical component of the systemd suite responsible for managing core dump files generated by crashed processes. This flaw represents a sophisticated race condition attack vector that exploits the timing window between process termination and core dump analysis. The vulnerability specifically targets SUID (Set User ID) processes which are designed to execute with elevated privileges belonging to the file owner rather than the user who invoked them. These processes typically handle sensitive system functions and have access to restricted data that normal users cannot directly access, making them prime targets for privilege escalation attacks.
The technical exploitation mechanism leverages a carefully timed race condition scenario where an attacker forces a SUID process to crash while simultaneously attempting to replace the crashed process binary with a non-SUID version. This manipulation occurs within the critical window where the Linux kernel recycles the process identifier before systemd-coredump can complete its analysis of the /proc/pid/auxv file. The auxv file contains auxiliary vector information that provides crucial metadata about the process execution environment, including memory layout and security attributes. When the race condition is successfully executed, the attacker gains access to the original SUID process's core dump file, which contains sensitive data that was loaded into memory during the process execution. This includes potentially critical system files such as /etc/shadow, which contains hashed passwords for all system users.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data disclosure, as it fundamentally undermines the security model that SUID processes are designed to maintain. The flaw enables attackers to bypass the privilege separation mechanisms that protect sensitive system resources, allowing unauthorized access to confidential data that should only be accessible to privileged processes. This vulnerability directly maps to CWE-362 (Concurrent Execution using Shared Resource with Improper Synchronization) and CWE-284 (Improper Access Control) within the CWE classification system. The attack pattern aligns with ATT&CK technique T1068 (Local Port Forwarding) and T1548.001 (Abuse Elevation Control Mechanism) in the MITRE ATT&CK framework, as it exploits process privilege mechanisms to gain unauthorized access to system resources. The confidentiality impact is severe as attackers can extract password hashes and other sensitive system information that would normally require elevated privileges to access, potentially leading to complete system compromise and persistent access.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2025-4598 require immediate system updates to patched versions of systemd that address the race condition in core dump handling. System administrators should implement monitoring of core dump directories for suspicious activity and establish automated alerts when SUID process core dumps are generated. The implementation of kernel security modules such as SELinux or AppArmor can provide additional layers of protection by restricting access to core dump files even when the race condition is successfully exploited. Additionally, regular audit of SUID binaries should be conducted to identify unnecessary privileges, and the principle of least privilege should be strictly enforced. Organizations should also consider implementing process monitoring solutions that can detect and prevent the manipulation of SUID processes during crash scenarios, as well as regular security assessments to identify similar timing-based vulnerabilities in other system components.