CVE Alert: CVE-2025-32463 – Sudo project – Sudo

CVE-2025-32463

CRITICALExploitation active

Sudo before 1.9.17p1 allows local users to obtain root access because /etc/nsswitch.conf from a user-controlled directory is used with the –chroot option.

CVSS v3.1 (9.3)
Vendor
Sudo project
Product
Sudo
Versions
1.9.14 lt 1.9.17p1
CWE
CWE-829, CWE-829 Inclusion of Functionality from Untrusted Control Sphere
Vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
Published
2025-06-30T00:00:00.000Z
Updated
2025-09-27T03:55:21.442Z
References

AI Summary Analysis

Risk verdict

Why this matters

Most likely attack path

Who is most exposed

Detection ideas

  • Monitor for sudo invocations with –chroot referencing user-writable paths or unexpected changes to /etc/nsswitch.conf in such directories.
  • Look for sudden spikes in root-equivalent processes or shells spawned from non-root accounts.
  • Validate installed sudo versions across hosts; flag any not at or beyond the patched 1.9.17p1 release.
  • Inspect audit logs for anomalous chroot-based sudo usage or privilege escalations.
  • Watch for modifications to privileged configuration files outside standard OS paths.

Mitigation and prioritisation

  • Apply vendor patch to 1.9.17p1 or newer on all affected systems; verify patch success.
  • Restrict or remove use of –chroot in sudo configurations; ensure /etc/nsswitch.conf cannot be sourced from user-writable directories.
  • Implement strict access controls for directories used in chroot contexts; remove unnecessary sudo privileges via sudoers.
  • Deploy тестing and change-management steps before broad rollout; plan a rapid patch window due to exploitation activity.
  • Enhance monitoring and endpoint hardening (AppArmor/SELinux policies, root-claim isolation) to detect and contain post-exploit activity.

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