# CVE-2022-0851: Information disclosure in convert2rhel

> Local attackers can view subscription activation keys in process lists, potentially allowing unauthorized system registration and fraud.

- **Severity:** Medium 5.5 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 29 Aug 2022
- **Updated:** 2 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-959j-7rc3-c387, RHSA-2022:6266, RHSA-2022:6268, RHSA-2022:6269

## What is CVE-2022-0851?

CVE-2022-0851 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Redhat Enterprise Linux, published on 29 Aug 2022. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

There is a flaw in convert2rhel. When the --activationkey option is used with convert2rhel, the activation key is subsequently passed to subscription-manager via the command line, which could allow unauthorized users locally on the machine to view the activation key via the process command line via e.g. htop or ps. The specific impact varies upon the subscription, but generally this would allow an attacker to register systems purchased by the victim until discovered; a form of fraud. This could occur regardless of how the activation key is supplied to convert2rhel because it involves how convert2rhel provides it to subscription-manager.

Weakness: CWE-200 (Exposure of Sensitive Information to an Unauthorized Actor)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2022-0851?

It affects 2 products.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `convert2rhel` | Red Hat:convert2rhel::el6 | All versions | 0:1.0-1.el6 |
| `convert2rhel` | Red Hat:convert2rhel::el7 | All versions | 0:1.0-1.el7 |
| `convert2rhel` | Red Hat:convert2rhel::el8 | All versions | 0:1.0-1.el8 |

Products: Convert2rhel Project Convert2rhel, Redhat Enterprise Linux.

## How do I fix CVE-2022-0851?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2022-0851 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2022-0851 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Redhat Enterprise Linux

- [CVE-2022-0852](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-0852/): Information disclosure in convert2rhel (medium 5.5)
- [CVE-2022-1662](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-1662/): Information disclosure in convert2rhel (medium 5.5)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2022-0851 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2022-0851 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Redhat Enterprise Linux, published on 29 Aug 2022. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2022-0851 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Redhat Enterprise 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-2022-0851/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-0851/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2022-0851
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2022-0851
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2022-0851

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-0851/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.