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APT package manager flaw enables root code execution on Debian and Ubuntu

A security vulnerability in the APT package manager allows man-in-the-middle attackers to swap verified software packages and execute code as root on Debian and Ubuntu systems.

FTMQ Security, written by our newsroom0 views

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Picture: The Hacker News

A flaw in the APT package manager for Debian and Ubuntu allows attackers to swap a checked package for their own and execute code with root privileges. The Hacker News and BigGo Finance both reported on November 4 that the vulnerability affects systems where an attacker can modify package downloads. Advisories detailing the issue were published on November 4 by developers of APT alongside the Debian and Ubuntu projects. [1][7]

According to The Hacker News, an attacker who is positioned to intercept network traffic can carry out a man-in-the-middle attack to replace verified packages during download. Because the package manager processes the compromised file, the malicious code runs with full root permissions on the host system. [1]

Debian is a free, general-purpose operating system developed by the volunteer Debian Project, which was founded by Ian Murdock on August 16, 1993. It serves as the foundation for many Linux distributions, including Ubuntu. [10]

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In short

  • A flaw in the APT package manager allows attackers to swap verified packages.
  • Successful exploitation of the APT flaw lets attackers execute code as root.
  • The issue affects Debian and Ubuntu operating systems.
  • Debian, Ubuntu, and APT developers published security advisories on November 4.

Sources

Every paragraph above points to the numbered items it rests on. Read the originals here.

  1. [1]Debian and Ubuntu APT Flaw Lets MitM Attackers Swap Verified Packages and Run Code as RootThe Hacker News, 8h ago (the report this story comes from)
  2. [2]Barracuda ESG Authentication Bypass Flaw Opens Path to RootSecurityWeek, 11h ago
  3. [3]Barracuda ESG Authentication Bypass Flaw Opens Path to RootSecurityWeek, 11h ago
  4. [4]Barracuda ESG Authentication Bypass Flaw Opens Path to RootSecurityWeek, 11h ago
  5. [5]Critical Barracuda Security Flaws Allow Attackers to Bypass Authorization and Gain Root AccessCyber Press, 19h ago
  6. [6]TightVNC Pre-Auth RCE Vulnerability Lets Hackers Execute Code on Windows PCs, PoC ReleasedCyberSecurityNews, 1d ago
  7. [7]APT Package Manager Flaw Lets Man-in-the-Middle Attackers Run Code as Root on Debian, UbuntuBigGo Finance, 8h ago

Background

  1. [8]Firefox on Wikipedia
  2. [9]Multi-factor authentication on Wikipedia
  3. [10]Debian on Wikipedia
  4. [11]Brotli decoder memory corruption flaw affects multiple runtimes and software packages FTMQ Security, 10d ago

Our newsroom writes these reports with the help of software, from the 11 sources listed and nothing else, and checks them against those sources. Facts can still be wrong or move on; the originals are the record. Spotted a mistake? Write to daniel@monsterkong.com.

Related from FTMQ Security

Earlier reports of ours on the same people and subjects.

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