# CVE-2018-1088: Privilege escalation in glusterfs

> A malicious gluster client can escalate privileges by mounting shared storage and scheduling a malicious cronjob via symlink in the snapshot scheduler.

- **Severity:** High 8.1 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 18 Apr 2018
- **Updated:** 5 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2018-1088, GHSA-rf3g-r74x-84j6, RHSA-2018:1136, RHSA-2018:1137, RHSA-2018:1275, UBUNTU-CVE-2018-1088

## What is CVE-2018-1088?

CVE-2018-1088 is a high-severity vulnerability in Debian Debian Linux, published on 18 Apr 2018. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

A privilege escalation flaw was found in gluster 3.x snapshot scheduler. Any gluster client allowed to mount gluster volumes could also mount shared gluster storage volume and escalate privileges by scheduling malicious cronjob via symlink.

Weakness: CWE-266 (Incorrect Privilege Assignment)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2018-1088?

It affects 6 products.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `glusterfs` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::hypervisor | All versions | 0:3.8.4-54.6.el7 |
| `glusterfs-api` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::hypervisor | All versions | 0:3.8.4-54.6.el7 |
| `glusterfs-api-devel` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::hypervisor | All versions | 0:3.8.4-54.6.el7 |
| `glusterfs-cli` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::hypervisor | All versions | 0:3.8.4-54.6.el7 |
| `glusterfs-client-xlators` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::hypervisor | All versions | 0:3.8.4-54.6.el7 |
| `glusterfs-debuginfo` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::hypervisor | All versions | 0:3.8.4-54.6.el7 |
| `glusterfs-devel` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::hypervisor | All versions | 0:3.8.4-54.6.el7 |
| `glusterfs-fuse` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::hypervisor | All versions | 0:3.8.4-54.6.el7 |
| `glusterfs-libs` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::hypervisor | All versions | 0:3.8.4-54.6.el7 |
| `glusterfs-rdma` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::hypervisor | All versions | 0:3.8.4-54.6.el7 |
| `python-gluster` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::hypervisor | All versions | 0:3.8.4-54.6.el7 |
| `redhat-release-virtualization-host` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::hypervisor | All versions | 0:4.1-11.0.el7 |
| `redhat-virtualization-host` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::hypervisor | All versions | 0:4.1-20180426.0.el7_5 |
| `redhat-virtualization-host-image-update` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::hypervisor | All versions | 0:4.1-20180426.0.el7_5 |
| `redhat-virtualization-host-image-update-placeholder` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::hypervisor | All versions | 0:4.1-11.0.el7 |
| `glusterfs` | Red Hat:storage:3.3:server:el6 | All versions | 0:3.8.4-54.7.el6rhs |
| `glusterfs-api` | Red Hat:storage:3.3:server:el6 | All versions | 0:3.8.4-54.7.el6rhs |
| `glusterfs-api-devel` | Red Hat:storage:3.3:server:el6 | All versions | 0:3.8.4-54.7.el6rhs |
| `glusterfs-cli` | Red Hat:storage:3.3:server:el6 | All versions | 0:3.8.4-54.7.el6rhs |
| `glusterfs-client-xlators` | Red Hat:storage:3.3:server:el6 | All versions | 0:3.8.4-54.7.el6rhs |
| `glusterfs-debuginfo` | Red Hat:storage:3.3:server:el6 | All versions | 0:3.8.4-54.7.el6rhs |
| `glusterfs-devel` | Red Hat:storage:3.3:server:el6 | All versions | 0:3.8.4-54.7.el6rhs |
| `glusterfs-events` | Red Hat:storage:3.3:server:el6 | All versions | 0:3.8.4-54.7.el6rhs |
| `glusterfs-fuse` | Red Hat:storage:3.3:server:el6 | All versions | 0:3.8.4-54.7.el6rhs |
| `glusterfs-ganesha` | Red Hat:storage:3.3:server:el6 | All versions | 0:3.8.4-54.7.el6rhs |
| `glusterfs-geo-replication` | Red Hat:storage:3.3:server:el6 | All versions | 0:3.8.4-54.7.el6rhs |
| `glusterfs-libs` | Red Hat:storage:3.3:server:el6 | All versions | 0:3.8.4-54.7.el6rhs |
| `glusterfs-rdma` | Red Hat:storage:3.3:server:el6 | All versions | 0:3.8.4-54.7.el6rhs |
| `glusterfs-server` | Red Hat:storage:3.3:server:el6 | All versions | 0:3.8.4-54.7.el6rhs |
| `python-gluster` | Red Hat:storage:3.3:server:el6 | All versions | 0:3.8.4-54.7.el6rhs |
| `glusterfs` | Red Hat:storage:3.3:server:el7 | All versions | 0:3.8.4-54.6.el7rhgs |
| `glusterfs-api` | Red Hat:storage:3.3:server:el7 | All versions | 0:3.8.4-54.6.el7rhgs |
| `glusterfs-api-devel` | Red Hat:storage:3.3:server:el7 | All versions | 0:3.8.4-54.6.el7rhgs |
| `glusterfs-cli` | Red Hat:storage:3.3:server:el7 | All versions | 0:3.8.4-54.6.el7rhgs |
| `glusterfs-client-xlators` | Red Hat:storage:3.3:server:el7 | All versions | 0:3.8.4-54.6.el7rhgs |
| `glusterfs-debuginfo` | Red Hat:storage:3.3:server:el7 | All versions | 0:3.8.4-54.6.el7rhgs |
| `glusterfs-devel` | Red Hat:storage:3.3:server:el7 | All versions | 0:3.8.4-54.6.el7rhgs |
| `glusterfs-events` | Red Hat:storage:3.3:server:el7 | All versions | 0:3.8.4-54.6.el7rhgs |
| `glusterfs-fuse` | Red Hat:storage:3.3:server:el7 | All versions | 0:3.8.4-54.6.el7rhgs |
| `glusterfs-ganesha` | Red Hat:storage:3.3:server:el7 | All versions | 0:3.8.4-54.6.el7rhgs |

Products: Debian Debian Linux, Opensuse Leap, Redhat Enterprise Linux Server, Redhat Gluster Storage, Redhat Virtualization, Redhat Virtualization Host.

## How do I fix CVE-2018-1088?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2018-1088 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2018-1088 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Public exploit code:

- Exploit for Red Hat / GlusterFS CVE-2018-1088 & CVE-2018-1112, featured @ DEFCON 26, Las Vegas! (github_poc): https://github.com/MauroEldritch/GEVAUDAN

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## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2018-1088 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2018-1088 is a high-severity vulnerability in Debian Debian Linux, published on 18 Apr 2018. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2018-1088 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Debian Debian Linux. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-1088/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-1088/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2018-1088
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2018-1088
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2018-1088

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-1088/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.