A critical vulnerability has been discovered in Samba Active Directory (AD) implementations that could allow hackers to escalate privileges.
CVE-2023-3961 affects Samba versions 4.13.0 and later when configured as AD domain controllers, with a CVSS v3 score of 7.5. It results from the way access controls for new objects in the AD directory service are handled.
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An authorized user can write to all attributes of a new object, even sensitive ones, due to the absence of an access (ACL) at creation. This can lead to privilege escalation, as the administrator retains significant rights on the object.
Researchers warn that exploiting this flaw could allow a malicious user to take over the entire AD infrastructure. The Samba team has released patches in versions 4.18.3, 4.17.9, and 4.16.113 to address the vulnerability. Administrators are advised to update their systems immediately, while organizations that cannot patch immediately should monitor and restrict administrative accounts.
The vulnerability affects Samba when used as an AD domain controller, but not Samba file server installations or domain member servers. Linux distributions, such as Red Hat Enterprise Linux, are not affected, as they do not ship Samba with AD domain controller capabilities.
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Addressing this vulnerability should be a priority for organizations using Samba AD, due to the risk of privilege escalation. Maintaining security through timely patching and strong access controls is critical to protecting against cyberthreats. Administrators should consult the official Samba Security Advisory for details and guidance.
Source: cybersecuritynews
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