The inode_init_owner function in fs/inode.c in the Linux kernel through 3.16 allows local users to create files with an unintended group ownership, in a scenario where a directory is SGID to a certain group and is writable by a user who is not a member of that group. Here, the non-member can trigger creation of a plain file whose group ownership is that group. The intended behavior was that the non-member can trigger creation of a directory (but not a plain file) whose group ownership is that group. The non-member can escalate privileges by making the plain file executable and SGID.
This vulnerability carries a HIGH severity rating with a CVSS v3.1 score of 7.8, requiring local system access to exploit with relatively low complexity without requiring user interaction requiring only low-level privileges . The vulnerability impacts confidentiality (data exposure), integrity (unauthorized modifications), and availability (service disruption) for affected systems. Impacting 27 products from linux, from debian, from canonical and 24 others, organizations running these solutions should prioritize assessment and patching.
First disclosed in 2018, this vulnerability was reported during a period defined by widespread IoT adoption challenges, mobile security concerns, and the emergence of advanced persistent threat (APT) techniques. Contemporary mitigation strategies focused on secure development practices and third-party component vetting.
2018-07-06T14:29:01.223
2024-11-21T03:47:02.490
Modified
CVSSv3.1: 7.8 (HIGH)
AV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P
3.9
6.4
SecUtils normalizes and enriches National Vulnerability Database (NVD) records by standardizing vendor and product identifiers, aggregating vulnerability metadata from both NVD and MITRE sources, and providing structured context for security teams. For linux's affected products, we extract Common Platform Enumeration (CPE) data, Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE) classifications, CVSS severity metrics, and reference data to enable rapid vulnerability prioritization and asset correlation. This record contains no exploit code, proof-of-concept instructions, or attack methodologies—only defensive intelligence necessary for patch management, risk assessment, and security operations.