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Docker supplementary group permissions not set up properly, allowing attackers to bypass primary group restrictions

Moderate severity GitHub Reviewed Published Sep 9, 2022 in moby/moby • Updated Jul 8, 2024

Package

gomod github.com/docker/docker (Go)

Affected versions

< 20.10.18

Patched versions

20.10.18

Description

Moby is an open-source project created by Docker to enable software containerization. A bug was found in Moby (Docker Engine) where supplementary groups are not set up properly. If an attacker has direct access to a container and manipulates their supplementary group access, they may be able to use supplementary group access to bypass primary group restrictions in some cases, potentially gaining access to sensitive information or gaining the ability to execute code in that container. This bug is fixed in Moby (Docker Engine) 20.10.18. Users should update to this version when it is available. Running containers should be stopped and restarted for the permissions to be fixed. For users unable to upgrade, this problem can be worked around by not using the "USER $USERNAME" Dockerfile instruction. Instead by calling ENTRYPOINT ["su", "-", "user"] the supplementary groups will be set up properly.

Thanks to Steven Murdoch for reporting this issue.


Impact

If an attacker has direct access to a container and manipulates their supplementary group access, they may be able to use supplementary group access to bypass primary group restrictions in some cases, potentially gaining access to sensitive information or gaining the ability to execute code in that container.

Patches

This bug is fixed in Moby (Docker Engine) 20.10.18. Users should update to this version when it is available.

Workarounds

This problem can be worked around by not using the "USER $USERNAME" Dockerfile instruction. Instead by calling ENTRYPOINT ["su", "-", "user"] the supplementary groups will be set up properly.

References

https://www.benthamsgaze.org/2022/08/22/vulnerability-in-linux-containers-investigation-and-mitigation/

For more information

If you have any questions or comments about this advisory:

References

@thaJeztah thaJeztah published to moby/moby Sep 9, 2022
Published by the National Vulnerability Database Sep 9, 2022
Published to the GitHub Advisory Database Sep 16, 2022
Reviewed Sep 16, 2022
Last updated Jul 8, 2024

Severity

Moderate

CVSS overall score

This score calculates overall vulnerability severity from 0 to 10 and is based on the Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS).
/ 10

CVSS v3 base metrics

Attack vector
Network
Attack complexity
Low
Privileges required
Low
User interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
Low
Integrity
Low
Availability
Low

CVSS v3 base metrics

Attack vector: More severe the more the remote (logically and physically) an attacker can be in order to exploit the vulnerability.
Attack complexity: More severe for the least complex attacks.
Privileges required: More severe if no privileges are required.
User interaction: More severe when no user interaction is required.
Scope: More severe when a scope change occurs, e.g. one vulnerable component impacts resources in components beyond its security scope.
Confidentiality: More severe when loss of data confidentiality is highest, measuring the level of data access available to an unauthorized user.
Integrity: More severe when loss of data integrity is the highest, measuring the consequence of data modification possible by an unauthorized user.
Availability: More severe when the loss of impacted component availability is highest.
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L

EPSS score

0.174%
(55th percentile)

Weaknesses

CVE ID

CVE-2022-36109

GHSA ID

GHSA-rc4r-wh2q-q6c4

Source code

Credits

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