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

> An unprivileged user can trigger privileged actions via snapctl due to improper argument parsing, potentially causing denial of service or privilege escalation.

- **Severity:** High 8.1 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 31 May 2024
- **Updated:** 6 Sep 2024
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2024-5138, GHSA-p9v8-q5m4-pf46, GO-2024-2906, UBUNTU-CVE-2024-5138

## 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 (Improper Input Validation)

## 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.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `github.com/snapcore/snapd` | Go | All versions | None |
| `github.com/snapcore/snapd` | Go | All versions | 0.0.0-20240524114846-68ee9c6aa916 |
| `github.com/snapcore/snapd` | Go | All versions | 0.0.0-20240524114846-68ee9c6aa916 |
| `github.com/snapcore/snapd` | Go | From 2.51.6 | 2.63.1 |
| `github.com/snapcore/snapd` | Go | From 2.51.6 | 2.63.1 |

Products: 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](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-1523/): Command injection in snapd (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2020-27352](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-27352/): Privilege escalation in snapd (critical 9.3)
- [CVE-2019-7304](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-7304/): Local privilege escalation via snapd socket (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2021-4120](https://insights.sbomify.com/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](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-3328/): snapd Race Condition vulnerability (high 7.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2024-5138 and fix it if it is affected.

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

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- github.com/snapcore/snapd (Go): affected all versions; no fix listed
- github.com/snapcore/snapd (Go): affected all versions; fixed in 0.0.0-20240524114846-68ee9c6aa916
- github.com/snapcore/snapd (Go): affected all versions; fixed in 0.0.0-20240524114846-68ee9c6aa916
- github.com/snapcore/snapd (Go): affected from 2.51.6; fixed in 2.63.1
- github.com/snapcore/snapd (Go): affected from 2.51.6; fixed in 2.63.1

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-2024-5138/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-5138/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2024-5138
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-5138
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2024-5138

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-5138/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.