CVE-2023-3972: Insights-client: unsafe handling of temporary files and directories
A vulnerability was found in insights-client. This security issue occurs because of insecure file operations or unsafe handling of temporary files and directories that lead to local privilege escalation. Before the insights-client has been registered on the system by root, an unprivileged local user or attacker could create the /var/tmp/insights-client directory (owning the directory with read, write, and execute permissions) on the system. After the insights-client is registered by root, an attacker could then control the directory content that insights are using by putting malicious scripts into it and executing arbitrary code as root (trivially bypassing SELinux protections because insights processes are allowed to disable SELinux system-wide).
Other sources
The unsafe handling of temporary files and directories in insights-client. An unprivileged user can corrupt any files owned by root.
https://bugzilla.redhat.com/showbug.cgi?id=2222156
— Red Hat
Affected Software
Remediation
Patch Available
Event History
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the severity of CVE-2023-3972?
The severity of CVE-2023-3972 is high with a severity value of 7.8.
How does CVE-2023-3972 affect the insights-client software?
CVE-2023-3972 affects the insights-client software with versions up to and excluding 3.2.2.
Is Redhat Enterprise Linux affected by CVE-2023-3972?
Yes, Redhat Enterprise Linux versions 7.0, 8.0, and 9.0 are affected by CVE-2023-3972.
How can I fix CVE-2023-3972?
To fix CVE-2023-3972, update the insights-client software to version 3.2.2 or higher.
Where can I find more information about CVE-2023-3972?
You can find more information about CVE-2023-3972 in the Redhat security advisories RHSA-2023:6264, RHSA-2023:6282, and RHSA-2023:6283.