Security News

“Looney Tunables” bug allows root access on Linux distros (CVE-2023-4911)
2023-10-05 13:06

A vulnerability in the GNU C Library can be exploited by attackers to gain root privileges on many popular Linux distributions, according to Qualys researchers. Dubbed "Looney Tunables", CVE-2023-4911 is a buffer overflow vulnerability in the dynamic loader's processing of the GLIBC TUNABLES environment variable.

The root cause of open-source risk
2023-10-05 03:00

One in eight open-source downloads today poses known and avoidable risks. Only 11% of open-source projects are 'actively maintained'.

Make-me-root 'Looney Tunables' security hole on Linux needs your attention
2023-10-04 21:27

The flaw, dubbed Looney Tunables, arises from the GNU C Library's dynamic loader mishandling of the GLIBC TUNABLES environmental variable. Because GNU C Library, commonly known as glibc, is found in most Linux systems, this is something of an issue.

Cisco fixes hard-coded root credentials in Emergency Responder
2023-10-04 16:43

Cisco released security updates to fix a Cisco Emergency Responder vulnerability that let attackers log into unpatched systems using hard-coded credentials. "This vulnerability is due to the presence of static user credentials for the root account that are typically reserved for use during development," Cisco explained in an advisory issued today.

Amazon: AWS root accounts must have MFA enabled
2023-10-04 08:52

Amazon wants to make it more difficult for attackers to compromise Amazon Web Services root accounts, by requiring those account holders to enable multi-factor authentication. The root account holder is the first identity created when creating an AWS account and the most privileged user, as it has access to all AWS services and resources in the account.

New 'Looney Tunables' Linux bug gives root on major distros
2023-10-03 20:36

A new Linux vulnerability known as 'Looney Tunables' enables local attackers to gain root privileges by exploiting a buffer overflow weakness in the GNU C Library's ld. The GNU C Library is the GNU system's C library and is in most Linux kernel-based systems.

New Zero-Click Hack Targets iOS Users with Stealthy Root-Privilege Malware
2023-06-01 15:14

A previously unknown advanced persistent threat is targeting iOS devices as part of a sophisticated and long-running mobile campaign dubbed Operation Triangulation that began in 2019. "The targets are infected using zero-click exploits via the iMessage platform, and the malware runs with root privileges, gaining complete control over the device and user data," Kaspersky said.

Microsoft finds macOS bug that lets hackers bypass SIP root restrictions
2023-05-30 19:20

Apple has recently addressed a vulnerability that lets attackers with root privileges bypass System Integrity Protection to install "Undeletable" malware and access the victim's private data by circumventing Transparency, Consent, and Control security checks. Apple has patched the vulnerability in security updates for macOS Ventura 13.4, macOS Monterey 12.6.6, and macOS Big Sur 11.7.7, released two weeks ago, on May 18.

The root causes of API incidents and data breaches
2023-05-30 04:30

API calls make up the majority of our digital lives. Take, for example, the everyday use of a cloud-based food delivery app, which could involve up to 25 API calls.

New Linux kernel NetFilter flaw gives attackers root privileges
2023-05-09 16:49

A new Linux NetFilter kernel flaw has been discovered, allowing unprivileged local users to escalate their privileges to root level, allowing complete control over a system. Netfilter is a packet filtering and network address translation framework built into the Linux kernel that is managed through front-end utilities, such as IPtables and UFW. According to a new advisory published yesterday, corrupting the system's internal state leads to a use-after-free vulnerability that can be exploited to perform arbitrary reads and writes in the kernel memory.