CVE-2019-5021 Hardcoded credentials in Alpine Linux

Critical 9.8 Published Updated

Official Alpine Linux Docker images contain a NULL password for root, allowing attackers to gain root access if PAM or shadow file authentication is used.

Exploited in the wild
Not known
Login needed
Not needed
Attackable
Over the internet
Victim action needed
Not needed
Fix
Available

What is CVE-2019-5021?

CVE-2019-5021 is a critical vulnerability in Opensuse Leap, published on 8 May 2019. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

Official description

Versions of the Official Alpine Linux Docker images (since v3.3) contain a NULL password for the `root` user. This vulnerability appears to be the result of a regression introduced in December of 2015. Due to the nature of this issue, systems deployed using affected versions of the Alpine Linux container which utilize Linux PAM, or some other mechanism which uses the system shadow file as an authentication database, may accept a NULL password for the `root` user.

Weakness: CWE-258

Which versions are affected by CVE-2019-5021?

It affects 3 products.

Linux distribution packages (5)
system-user-root SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Basesystem 15All versions20190513-3.3.1
system-user-root SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Basesystem 15 SP1All versions20190513-3.3.1
suse-sles12sp3-image SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Containers 12All versions2.0.2-22.1
system-user-root openSUSE:Leap 15.0All versions20190513-lp151.3.3.1
system-user-root openSUSE:Leap 15.1All versions20190513-lp151.3.3.1

Products include F5 Big-Ip Controller, Gliderlabs Docker-Alpine, Opensuse Leap.

How do I fix CVE-2019-5021?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

Is CVE-2019-5021 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2019-5021 in the wild and no public exploit code.

All Opensuse Leap vulnerabilities

Sources

Also known as CVE-2020-29589, CVE-2020-29590, CVE-2020-35188, CVE-2020-35194, GHSA-m3hq-qcc9-75f6, SUSE-SU-2019:1368-1 and 3 more.

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