Todd Miller sudo up to 1.6.8 P9 Perl Environment Cleaner Remote Code Execution

CVSS Meta Temp Score
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CTI Interest Score
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5.7$0-$5k0.00

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability, which was classified as critical, was found in Todd Miller sudo. Affected by this vulnerability is an unknown functionality of the component Perl Environment Cleaner. Such manipulation leads to Remote Code Execution. This vulnerability is uniquely identified as CVE-2005-4158. The attack can only be initiated within the local network. Moreover, an exploit is present. You should upgrade the affected component.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability, which was classified as critical, has been found in Todd Miller sudo (Operating System Utility Software). Affected by this issue is some unknown functionality of the component Perl Environment Cleaner. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a remote code execution vulnerability. Impacted is confidentiality, integrity, and availability. CVE summarizes:

Sudo before 1.6.8 p12, when the Perl taint flag is off, does not clear the (1) PERLLIB, (2) PERL5LIB, and (3) PERL5OPT environment variables, which allows limited local users to cause a Perl script to include and execute arbitrary library files that have the same name as library files that are included by the script.

The weakness was disclosed 11/11/2005 by Charles Morris (Website). The advisory is shared for download at sudo.ws. This vulnerability is handled as CVE-2005-4158 since 12/11/2005. The attack can only be initiated within the local network. No form of authentication is required for exploitation. Technical details are unknown but a public exploit is available.

The exploit is available at exploit-db.com. It is declared as proof-of-concept. As 0-day the estimated underground price was around $5k-$25k. The vulnerability scanner Nessus provides a plugin with the ID 20465 (Mandrake Linux Security Advisory : sudo (MDKSA-2005:234)), which helps to determine the existence of the flaw in a target environment. It is assigned to the family Mandriva Local Security Checks and running in the context l. The commercial vulnerability scanner Qualys is able to test this issue with plugin 115314 (Sudo Perl Environment Variable Handling Security Bypass Vulnerability).

Upgrading eliminates this vulnerability. Applying a patch is able to eliminate this problem. The bugfix is ready for download at sudo.ws. The best possible mitigation is suggested to be upgrading to the latest version. A possible mitigation has been published even before and not after the disclosure of the vulnerability.

The vulnerability is also documented in the databases at X-Force (23102), Exploit-DB (27056), Tenable (20465), SecurityFocus (BID 15394†) and OSVDB (20764†). The entry VDB-28260 is pretty similar. Once again VulDB remains the best source for vulnerability data.

Productinfo

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CPE 2.3info

CPE 2.2info

CVSSv4info

VulDB Vector: 🔍
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

CVSSv3info

VulDB Meta Base Score: 6.3
VulDB Meta Temp Score: 5.7

VulDB Base Score: 6.3
VulDB Temp Score: 5.7
VulDB Vector: 🔍
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

CVSSv2info

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VulDB Base Score: 🔍
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Exploitinginfo

Class: Remote Code Execution
CWE: Unknown
CAPEC: 🔍
ATT&CK: 🔍

Physical: Partially
Local: Yes
Remote: Partially

Availability: 🔍
Access: Public
Status: Proof-of-Concept
Download: 🔍

EPSS Score: 🔍
EPSS Percentile: 🔍

Price Prediction: 🔍
Current Price Estimation: 🔍

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Nessus ID: 20465
Nessus Name: Mandrake Linux Security Advisory : sudo (MDKSA-2005:234)
Nessus File: 🔍
Nessus Risk: 🔍
Nessus Family: 🔍
Nessus Context: 🔍
Nessus Port: 🔍

OpenVAS ID: 56192
OpenVAS Name: Debian Security Advisory DSA 946-1 (sudo)
OpenVAS File: 🔍
OpenVAS Family: 🔍

Qualys ID: 🔍
Qualys Name: 🔍

Exploit-DB: 🔍

Threat Intelligenceinfo

Interest: 🔍
Active Actors: 🔍
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Countermeasuresinfo

Recommended: Upgrade
Status: 🔍

0-Day Time: 🔍

Patch: sudo.ws

Timelineinfo

11/10/2005 🔍
11/11/2005 +1 days 🔍
11/11/2005 +0 days 🔍
11/11/2005 +0 days 🔍
11/11/2005 +0 days 🔍
11/16/2005 +4 days 🔍
12/10/2005 +24 days 🔍
12/10/2005 +0 days 🔍
12/11/2005 +1 days 🔍
01/15/2006 +35 days 🔍
01/24/2006 +9 days 🔍
06/28/2025 +7095 days 🔍

Sourcesinfo

Advisory: sudo.ws
Researcher: Charles Morris
Status: Confirmed
Confirmation: 🔍

CVE: CVE-2005-4158 (🔍)
GCVE (CVE): GCVE-0-2005-4158
GCVE (VulDB): GCVE-100-1892
X-Force: 23102 - Debian sudo perl variables allow execution of arbitrary code, High Risk
SecurityFocus: 15394 - Sudo Perl Environment Variable Handling Security Bypass Vulnerability
Secunia: 21692 - Mandriva update for sudo, Less Critical
OSVDB: 20764 - Sudo PERL5OPT Environment Cleaning Multiple Variable Privilege Escalation
SecurityTracker: 1015192 - Sudo Input Validation Flaw in Perl-related Environment Variables Lets Certain Local Users Execute Arbitrary Perl Code
Vulnerability Center: 10187 - Sudo Perl Local Escalation of Privileges and Code Execution, Medium
Vupen: ADV-2005-2386

scip Labs: https://www.scip.ch/en/?labs.20161013
See also: 🔍

Entryinfo

Created: 11/16/2005 11:02
Updated: 06/28/2025 23:01
Changes: 11/16/2005 11:02 (87), 06/16/2017 09:02 (11), 03/12/2021 09:06 (2), 01/01/2025 10:07 (17), 06/28/2025 23:01 (2)
Complete: 🔍
Cache ID: 216::103

Once again VulDB remains the best source for vulnerability data.

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