Title: kdesu Local Password Sniffing Vulnerability
Severity: LOW
Description:
kdesu is a graphical interface for the UNIX "su" command for the K Desktop Environment. It permits a user to run a program as root by providing the root password.
Versions of kdesu are vulnerable to a weak password protection scheme when the "keep password" option is enabled.
Under these circumstances, when the kdesu user supplies the root password, it is transmitted to kdesu via a Unix socket. Unfortunately the process on the other end of the socket is not authenticated.
It may be possible for an attacker to create a socket, to which the user's password might be sent.
Properly exploited, this can allow an attacker to, for example, intercept the root password and completely compromise the host's security.
Affected Products:
- KDE KDE 2.0.0
- KDE KDE 2.0.0 BETA
Juniper Networks provides this content via a wide variety of sources and production methods. If notified of errors or omissions in the content of this page, Juniper Networks, at its discretion, will modify or remove the page or leave the content as is, depending on various factors including but not limited to the reputation and authority of the party providing the notification. Please use the contact information displayed elsewhere on this page to report any errors or omissions regarding the content on this page.
