CVE-2025-6018

Published Jul 23, 2025

Last updated a month ago

Linux

PAM

Overview

AI description

Automated description summarized from trusted sources.

CVE-2025-6018 is a local privilege escalation vulnerability found in the PAM configuration of certain Linux distributions, specifically openSUSE Leap 15 and SUSE Linux Enterprise 15. It allows an unprivileged local attacker, potentially through an SSH connection, to escalate their privileges to that of an "allow_active" user. This level of access then permits the attacker to perform actions normally reserved for users physically present at the console. This vulnerability can be chained with CVE-2025-6019 to achieve full root access. By exploiting CVE-2025-6018 to gain "allow_active" status, an attacker can then leverage CVE-2025-6019 (a vulnerability in libblockdev exploitable via the udisks daemon) to obtain root privileges.

Description: A Local Privilege Escalation (LPE) vulnerability has been discovered in pam-config within Linux Pluggable Authentication Modules (PAM). This flaw allows an unprivileged local attacker (for example, a user logged in via SSH) to obtain the elevated privileges normally reserved for a physically present, "allow_active" user. The highest risk is that the attacker can then perform all allow_active yes Polkit actions, which are typically restricted to console users, potentially gaining unauthorized control over system configurations, services, or other sensitive operations.
Source: secalert@redhat.com
NVD status: Awaiting Analysis

Risk scores

CVSS 3.1

Type: Primary
Base score: 7.8
Impact score: 5.9
Exploitability score: 1.8
Vector string: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Severity: HIGH

Weaknesses

secalert@redhat.com: CWE-863

Hype score: Not currently trending

References