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Arch Linux: ASA-202011-5 High: gdm Privilege Escalation Risk

Calendar Nov 10, 2020 • User Avatar LinuxSecurity Advisories
1 min read
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security advisory privilege escalation package update high gdm Arch Linux
The package gdm before version 3.38.2-1 is vulnerable to privilege escalation. 
Arch Linux Security Advisory ASA-202011-5
========================================
Severity: High
Date    : 2020-11-10
CVE-ID  : CVE-2020-16125
Package : gdm
Type    : privilege escalation
Remote  : No
Link    : https://security.archlinux.org/AVG-1264

Summary
======
The package gdm before version 3.38.2-1 is vulnerable to privilege
escalation.

Resolution
=========
Upgrade to 3.38.2-1.

# pacman -Syu "gdm>=3.38.2-1"

The problem has been fixed upstream in version 3.38.2.

Workaround
=========
None.

Description
==========
gdm before 3.38.2 can be tricked into launching gnome-initial-setup,
enabling an unprivileged user to create a new user account for
themselves. The new account is a member of the sudo group, so this
enables the unprivileged user to obtain admin privileges.

Impact
=====
An unprivileged local user might be able to elevate privileges to root.

References
=========

https://security.archlinux.org/CVE-2020-16125