Cyber Risks · Qualys Blog

Qualys TRU Uncovers Chained LPE: SUSE 15 PAM to Full Root via libblockdev/udisks | Qualys

Summary: Qualys TRU found two linked local privilege escalation flaws: CVE-2025-6018, a PAM misconfiguration in openSUSE Leap 15 and SUSE Linux Enterprise 15 that lets an unprivileged local user such as an SSH session reach the "allow_active" context, and CVE-2025-6019, a libblockdev flaw reachable through the udisks daemon that turns allow_active into full root. Qualys built proof-of-concept exploits and targeted the libblockdev/udisks flaw successfully on Ubuntu, Debian, Fedora, and openSUSE Leap 15.

What's compelling: udisks ships by default on almost all Linux distributions, so chaining these two built-in packages lets any SSH user on SUSE 15/Leap 15 go from normal login to root, and root access lets an intruder unload EDR agents, implant kernel-level backdoors, and use the server as a launchpad for lateral movement across the fleet.

Read the original at Qualys Blog ↗

Topics
Vulnerabilities & Patching
Mentions
CVE-2025-6018CVE-2025-6019
Related