CVE-2018-19788: Input Validation

Published Dec 2, 2018
·
Updated

A flaw was found in PolicyKit (aka polkit) 0.115 that allows a user with a uid greater than INTMAX to successfully execute any systemctl command.

Other sources

It was found that creating a user of group above INT32MAX would wrap around the numeric uid or gid. Polkit is not able to handle this properly, resulting in an authentication bypass.

References:

https://seclists.org/oss-sec/2018/q4/198

Upstream issue:

https://gitlab.freedesktop.org/polkit/polkit/issues/74

Proposed patch:

https://gitlab.freedesktop.org/zbyszek/polkit/commit/fbaab32cb4ed9ed5f1e3eea6cd317d443aa427dc

Red Hat

Affected Software

9 affected componentsFixes available
Polkit Project Polkit=0.115
Debian Debian Linux=8.0
Debian Debian Linux=9.0
Canonical Ubuntu Linux=12.04
Canonical Ubuntu Linux=14.04
Canonical Ubuntu Linux=16.04
Canonical Ubuntu Linux=18.04
Canonical Ubuntu Linux=18.10
debian/policykit-1
0.105-31+deb11u1122-3126-2127-2

Event History

Dec 2, 2018
Data Sourced
08:42 PM
SeverityAffected Software
Dec 3, 2018
CVE Published
via MITRE·06:00 AM
Data Sourced
via MITRE·06:00 AM
Description
Data Sourced
via NVD·06:29 AM
RemedyDescriptionSeverityWeaknessAffected Software
Dec 4, 2018
Data Sourced
via Red Hat·09:27 AM
DescriptionSeverityAffected Software
Jan 11, 2024
Data Sourced
via Launchpad·10:58 PM
Description
Feb 20, 2026
Data Sourced
via Ubuntu·06:34 PM
RemedyDescriptionSeverityAffected Software
Data Sourced
via Debian·06:34 PM
DescriptionAffected Software

Frequently Asked Questions

1

What is CVE-2018-19788?

CVE-2018-19788 is a vulnerability found in PolicyKit (aka polkit) 0.115 that allows a user with a uid greater than INT_MAX to execute any systemctl command.

2

What is the severity of CVE-2018-19788?

The severity of CVE-2018-19788 is critical, with a severity value of 8.8.

3

Which software versions are affected by CVE-2018-19788?

Software versions affected by CVE-2018-19788 include Polkit 0.115, Debian Linux 8.0, Debian Linux 9.0, and various versions of Ubuntu Linux.

4

How can I fix CVE-2018-19788?

To fix CVE-2018-19788, update to a patched version of the affected software.

5

Where can I find more information about CVE-2018-19788?

More information about CVE-2018-19788 can be found at the following references: <br> - [GitLab](https://gitlab.freedesktop.org/polkit/polkit/issues/74) <br> - [Debian Security Tracker](https://security-tracker.debian.org/tracker/CVE-2018-19788) <br> - [Debian Bug Report](https://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=915332)

Contact

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