CVE-2021-4034

HighActively exploited (CISA KEV)Known to be used in ransomware campaigns

Description

A local privilege escalation vulnerability was found on polkit's pkexec utility. The pkexec application is a setuid tool designed to allow unprivileged users to run commands as privileged users according predefined policies. The current version of pkexec doesn't handle the calling parameters count correctly and ends trying to execute environment variables as commands. An attacker can leverage this by crafting environment variables in such a way it'll induce pkexec to execute arbitrary code. When successfully executed the attack can cause a local privilege escalation given unprivileged users administrative rights on the target machine.

SeverityHigh
CVSS7.8
Exploit probability—
ProductRed Hat Polkit
PublishedJan 28, 2022
First seenJan 28, 2022
Added to KEVJun 27, 2022

How to fix

CISA required action

Apply updates per vendor instructions.

CISA due date: Jul 18, 2022
Update
  • polkit_project polkit121 or later
  • siemens sinumerik_edge3.3.0 or later
  • siemens scalance_lpe9403_firmware2.0 or later

Affected products

ProductAffected versionsFixed in
polkit_project polkitv < 121121
redhat enterprise_linux_server_update_services_for_sap_solutions7.6, 7.7, 8.1, 8.2, 8.4—
redhat enterprise_linux8.0—
redhat enterprise_linux_desktop7.0—
redhat enterprise_linux_eus8.2—
redhat enterprise_linux_for_ibm_z_systems7.0, 8.0—
redhat enterprise_linux_for_ibm_z_systems_eus8.2, 8.4—
redhat enterprise_linux_for_power_big_endian7.0—
redhat enterprise_linux_for_power_little_endian7.0, 8.0—
redhat enterprise_linux_for_power_little_endian_eus8.1, 8.2, 8.4—
redhat enterprise_linux_for_scientific_computing7.0—
redhat enterprise_linux_server6.0, 7.0—
redhat enterprise_linux_server_aus7.3, 7.4, 7.6, 7.7, 8.2, 8.4—
redhat enterprise_linux_server_eus8.4—
redhat enterprise_linux_server_tus7.6, 7.7, 8.2, 8.4—
redhat enterprise_linux_workstation7.0—
canonical ubuntu_linux14.04, 16.04, 18.04, 20.04, 21.10—
suse enterprise_storage7.0—
suse linux_enterprise_high_performance_computing15.0—
suse manager_proxy4.1—
suse manager_server4.1—
suse linux_enterprise_desktop15—
suse linux_enterprise_server15—
suse linux_enterprise_workstation_extension12—
oracle http_server12.2.1.3.0, 12.2.1.4.0—
oracle zfs_storage_appliance_kit8.8—
siemens sinumerik_edgev < 3.3.03.3.0
siemens scalance_lpe9403_firmwarev < 2.02.0
starwindsoftware command_center1.0—
starwindsoftware starwind_virtual_sanv8—

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