CVE-2024-5138 CVE-2024-5138: snapd snapctl auth bypass

What is CVE-2024-5138?

CVE-2024-5138 is a high-severity vulnerability in Canonical Ltd. snapd, published on 31 May 2024. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.

Official description

The snapctl component within snapd allows a confined snap to interact with the snapd daemon to take certain privileged actions on behalf of the snap. It was found that snapctl did not properly parse command-line arguments, allowing an unprivileged user to trigger an authorised action on behalf of the snap that would normally require administrator privileges to perform. This could possibly allow an unprivileged user to perform a denial of service or similar.

Weakness: CWE-20

Which versions are affected by CVE-2024-5138?

5 open source packages ship an affected version, including github.com/snapcore/snapd. It affects 1 product.

Products include Canonical Snapd.

How do I fix CVE-2024-5138?

Upgrade github.com/snapcore/snapd to a fixed version for your release line: 0.0.0-20240524114846-68ee9c6aa916 or 2.63.1.

Is CVE-2024-5138 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2024-5138 exists.

Other vulnerabilities in Canonical Ltd. snapd

• CVE-2023-1523 Command injection in snapd Critical 10.0
• CVE-2020-27352 Privilege escalation in snapd Critical 9.3
• CVE-2019-7304 Local privilege escalation via snapd socket High 8.8
• CVE-2021-4120 snapd could be made to bypass intended access restrictions through snap content interfaces and layout paths High 8.2
• CVE-2022-3328 snapd Race Condition vulnerability High 7.8

Sources

• CVE record
• NVD
• OSV
• GitHub advisory
• How this page is made

Also known as DEBIAN-CVE-2024-5138, GHSA-p9v8-q5m4-pf46, GO-2024-2906, UBUNTU-CVE-2024-5138.