CVE-2018-1122: High severity Procps-ng Project Procps-ng vulnerability
If the HOME environment variable is unset or empty, top will read its configuration file from the current working directory without any security check. If a user runs top with HOME unset in an attacker-controlled directory, the attacker could acieve privilege escalation by exploiting one of several vulnerabilities in the configfile() function.
Other sources
procps-ng before version 3.3.15 is vulnerable to a local privilege escalation in top. If a user runs top with HOME unset in an attacker-controlled directory, the attacker could achieve privilege escalation by exploiting one of several vulnerabilities in the configfile() function.
— Launchpad
Affected Software
Remediation
Event History
Frequently Asked Questions
What is CVE-2018-1122?
CVE-2018-1122 is a vulnerability in procps-ng that allows for a local privilege escalation in top.
How does the CVE-2018-1122 vulnerability work?
The vulnerability occurs when top is run with HOME unset in an attacker-controlled directory, allowing the attacker to exploit vulnerabilities in the config_file() function and gain escalated privileges.
What is the severity of CVE-2018-1122?
CVE-2018-1122 has a severity rating of high (7 out of 10).
Which software versions are affected by CVE-2018-1122?
Versions of procps-ng before 3.3.15 and certain versions of procps on Red Hat, Debian, and Ubuntu are affected by CVE-2018-1122.
How can I fix CVE-2018-1122?
To fix CVE-2018-1122, upgrade to procps-ng version 3.3.15 or higher, or apply the appropriate remedy provided by your distribution.