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CVE-2025-6018

Pam-config: lpe from unprivileged to allow_active in pam

Published: Jul 23, 2025Updated: Nov 4, 2025 Sources: CVE List NVD BDUCWE-863
NVD MITRE
7.8CVSSHIGH
EPSS Score
1.3%
Top 33.3%
CISA KEV
Not in KEV
Exploits
No Known Exploits
Remediation
Patch Available

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.

CVSS Vector Breakdown

AV:LAC:LPR:LUI:NS:UC:HI:HA:H
Exploitability
AV:LAttack Vector
Local
AC:LAttack Complexity
Low
PR:LPrivileges Required
Low
UI:NUser Interaction
None
Scope
S:UScope
Unchanged
Impact
C:HConfidentiality
High
I:HIntegrity
High
A:HAvailability
High
Open in CVSS calculator →

Weaknesses

CWE-863

Affected Products

Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7Red Hat
On-premOS
Operating Systems / linux-distro
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8Red Hat
On-premOS
Operating Systems / linux-distro
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9Red Hat
On-premOS
Operating Systems / linux-distro
pam-configsuse
On-prem
Operating Systems / linux-distro
red hatcommercialUSOperating Systemsaka red hat
susecommercialDEOperating Systems
and 8 more affected products View all →

Attack Graph

Products CVE Techniques Tactics

Click technique nodes to view MITRE ATT&CK details. Scroll to zoom, drag to pan.

Exploitability

Official Patch Available
Workaround Available

MITRE ATT&CK

2 techniques
Initial Access
View detailed technique mapping

References

https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2025-6018
access.redhat.com
https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2372693
bugzilla.redhat.com
https://bugzilla.suse.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1243226
bugzilla.suse.com
and 10 more references View all →

Timeline

Published
Jul 23, 2025
Last Updated
Nov 4, 2025

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