CVE-2019-15846 Exim "A local or remote attacker can execute programs with root privileges."

[lorio]

Version: up to and including 4.92.1
Issue: A local or remote attacker can execute programs with root privileges.
Details: Will be made public at CRD. Currently there is no known exploit, but a rudimentary POC exists.
Coordinated Release Date (CRD) for Exim 4.92.2: 2019-09-06 10:00 UTC

oss-sec: CVE-2019-15846: Exim - local or remote attacker can execute programs with root privileges.

seclists.org

 

[cPanelMichael]

Hello,

The following knowledge base article exists for this report:

CVE-2019-15846 Exim - cPanel Knowledge Base - cPanel Documentation

documentation.cpanel.net

We'll update this article with more information as it becomes available.

Thank you.

 

[wanico]

Hi cPanel,

CVE-2019-15846

What is the workaround patch for this vulnerability and when can we expect a patched Exim release via the upgrade channels?
I believe the release date is today.

 

[andyf]

Hello,

The following knowledge base article exists for this report:

CVE-2019-15846 Exim - cPanel Knowledge Base - cPanel Documentation

documentation.cpanel.net

We'll update this article with more information as it becomes available.

Thank you.

Surely cPanel are given access to embargoed security releases? The CRD has now passed and we see no updated Exim packages from cPanel.

 

[keat63]

From a terminal window, if I run the following

exim --version |head -1

The results would indicate that I'm already running 4.92 #2, and have been since March this year.

"Exim version 4.92 #2 built 17-Mar-2019 12:58:50"



Although WHM service status does say 4.92-1 ???

and

[email protected] [~]# whmapi1 installed_versions packages=1|grep exim
  exim: 4.92-1
    - exim-4.92-1.cp1180.x86_64

 

[Paul Shultz]

Release tarballs for (exim-4.92.2) have been publicly released Index of /pub/exim/exim4/

Lets see how quick the cPanel Exim packages take. For critical issues such as this where the exploit code is already there, I hope its within the next 30min, or 9.00am in Texas

 

[andyf]

From a terminal window, if I run the following

exim --version |head -1

The results would indicate that I'm already running 4.92 #2, and have been since March this year.

"Exim version 4.92 #2 built 17-Mar-2019 12:58:50"



Although WHM service status does say 4.92-1 ???

and

[email protected] [~]# whmapi1 installed_versions packages=1|grep exim
  exim: 4.92-1
    - exim-4.92-1.cp1180.x86_64

You're confusing cpanel's own -1 or -2 revision with the exim minor point release of .1 or .2

 

[cPanelMichael]

Hello Everyone,

As of Friday, September 6, 2019, Exim has published a fix for CVE-2019-15846 and cPanel & WHM version 82.0.14 was published with a version of Exim that includes the fix.

We'll continue to provide updates on this report at the link below:

CVE-2019-15846 Exim - cPanel Knowledge Base - cPanel Documentation

documentation.cpanel.net

Let me know of any questions.

Thanks!

Edit 1: cPanel & WHM version 82.0.14 is now also published to the RELEASE and STABLE release tiers. Additionally, a new LTS version (78.0.38) is now published to the LTS tier with a fix for this issue.

 

[andyf]

@cPanelMichael How long before this hits RELEASE?

 

[cPanelMichael]

@andyf, Tentatively looking at early next week for the rollout of this patch to the additional supported release tiers. In the meantime, you could use WHM >> Update Preferences to switch over to the CURRENT release tier:

Update Preferences - Version 82 Documentation - cPanel Documentation

documentation.cpanel.net

You can find additional discussion of this topic on our Slack channel:

Slack

go.cpanel.net

Thank you.

Edit 1: cPanel & WHM version 82.0.14 is now also published to the RELEASE and STABLE release tiers. Additionally, a new LTS version (78.0.38) is now published to the LTS tier with a fix for this issue.

 

[cPanelMichael]

Hello Everyone,

To update, cPanel & WHM version 82.0.14 is now also published to the RELEASE and STABLE release tiers. Additionally, a new LTS version (78.0.38) is now published to the LTS tier with a fix for this issue.

Thank you.

 

[Paul Shultz]

Edit 1: cPanel & WHM version 82.0.14 is now also published to the RELEASE and STABLE release tiers. Additionally, a new LTS version (78.0.38) is now published to the LTS tier with a fix for this issue.

Good work with speedy roll-out, thanks.

 

[parsley93]

Hello everyone.

I've got couple servers with CloudLinux release 7.6 with version 11.70.0.69 and version of exim - exim-4.91-4.cp1170.x86_64

There is a posibility to upgrade exim to version 4.92.2 without upgrade version of cpanel and server to avoid vulnerability of exim in CVE-2019-15846 ?

I tried to update via yum update exim but i didn't work.

Anyone got this problem ? And how can I solve this problem?

 

[Babene7]

I don't think that's possible, the LTS patch only goes back to version 78.

You should update those servers to the latest cPanel version. Why do you keep them outdated?

 

[cPanelMichael]

I've got couple servers with CloudLinux release 7.6 with version 11.70.0.69 and version of exim - exim-4.91-4.cp1170.x86_64

There is a posibility to upgrade exim to version 4.92.2 without upgrade version of cpanel and server to avoid vulnerability of exim in CVE-2019-15846 ?

All versions of cPanel & WHM below the stated versions under the Releases section on the KB article are not patched for CVE-2019-15846.

cPanel & WHM version 70 is at end-of-life status so you should upgrade to a supported version as soon as possible to ensure your server is patched for this vulnerability:

cPanel & WHM Version 70 now EOL | cPanel Newsroom

cPanel & WHM Version 70 has reached End of Life and will no longer be supported by cPanel except when upgrading to a supported version. In accordance with our EOL policy (https://go.cpanel.net/longtermsupport), Version 70 will continue to function on servers where it is already installed. The...

news.cpanel.com

Thank you.

 

[parsley93]

I don't think that's possible, the LTS patch only goes back to version 78.

You should update those servers to the latest cPanel version. Why do you keep them outdated?

I've got old version of WHMCS which is quite incompatible with 78 and 80 version of Cpanel. Second reason - costs - unfortunately employer is reluctant to upgrade, which is annoying. and these servers are badly neglected - so I try to do what I can.

 

[cPanelMichael]

Hello @parsley93,

I recommend reaching out to WHMCS Support to evaluate upgrade options if that's what's preventing you from upgrading cPanel & WHM to a supported version.

Thank you.

 

[oldie]

I've got old version of WHMCS which is quite incompatible with 78 and 80 version of Cpanel. Second reason - costs - unfortunately employer is reluctant to upgrade, which is annoying. and these servers are badly neglected - so I try to do what I can.

I feel your pain.

from http://exim.org/static/doc/security/CVE-2019-15846.txt :

*****
Mitigation
==========

Do not offer TLS. (This mitigation is not recommended.)

For a attacking TLS client the following ACL snippet should work:

# to be prepended to your mail acl (the ACL referenced
# by the acl_smtp_mail main config option)
deny condition = ${if eq{\\}{${substr{-1}{1}{$tls_in_sni}}}}
deny condition = ${if eq{\\}{${substr{-1}{1}{$tls_in_peerdn}}}}
*****

So it appears you can mitigate by not offering TLS on exim [easy to do via WHM] and or by adding the two ACL snippet deny commands listed above - it looks like its possible in WHM but not entirely sure or which section to do it in.

 

[cPanelMichael]

So it appears you can mitigate by not offering TLS on exim [easy to do via WHM] and or by adding the two ACL snippet deny commands listed above - it looks like its possible in WHM but not entirely sure or which section to do it in.

Hello @oldie,

While I understand the manual mitigation step is referenced by Exim on the link you provided, it's important to understand this workaround is not tested or supported by cPanel & WHM. Editing a server's Exim configuration with those changes could potentially lead to email deliverability issues. Furthermore, the referenced workaround is not confirmed to mitigate the reported vulnerability.

The safest approach here is to upgrade cPanel & WHM to a supported version, or work with us to help troubleshoot any technical issues that are preventing you from upgrading to a supported cPanel & WHM version.

Thank you.

 

[oldie]

Hello @oldie,

The safest approach here is to upgrade cPanel & WHM to a supported version, or work with us to help troubleshoot any technical issues that are preventing you from upgrading to a supported cPanel & WHM version.

Thank you.

Unfortunately working with legacy app with legacy php so unless cPanel get generous and backport exim port for WHM 76 then have to look for other options/workarounds.