this post was submitted on 19 Jun 2025
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Linux

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Linux is a family of open source Unix-like operating systems based on the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released on September 17, 1991 by Linus Torvalds. Linux is typically packaged in a Linux distribution (or distro for short).

Distributions include the Linux kernel and supporting system software and libraries, many of which are provided by the GNU Project. Many Linux distributions use the word "Linux" in their name, but the Free Software Foundation uses the name GNU/Linux to emphasize the importance of GNU software, causing some controversy.

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[–] iAmTheTot@sh.itjust.works 23 points 2 weeks ago (9 children)

By chaining legitimate services such as udisks loop-mounts and PAM/environment quirks, attackers who own any active GUI or SSH session can vault across polkit's allow_active trust zone and emerge as root in seconds.

I recognize a few of those words.

[–] ikidd@lemmy.world 11 points 2 weeks ago (8 children)

Basically it's two vulns chained; first one gives a remote user privileges that a physically present user would get, in order to do things like put a thumbdrive in and have it mount. Then that udisks privilege can be subverted to escalate that level to root. So as long as you can start a remote session, you can pull root and it doesn't even look that hard.

[–] iAmTheTot@sh.itjust.works 17 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (7 children)

So how would a bad actor start a remote session on my Linux pc?

Edited to add, downvoted for trying to learn is a new one for me.

[–] rien333@lemmy.ml 11 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

They probably can not. Unless you've setup your router such that anyone can connect to an ssh instance running on your PC, and then also use a bad password. Public wifi + having something like ssh running + having a bad password.

Your PC probably doesn't satisfy these requirements (yay!), but some servers might.

[–] iAmTheTot@sh.itjust.works 2 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

I do run some servers, but use robust passwords.

[–] lefaucet@slrpnk.net 3 points 2 weeks ago

You probably already do, but if you need SSH, use crowdsec, SSHGuard or fail2ban to help filter bot nets.

I have IPs hitting from all over the world, trying logins all the time. Like several per minute, I can only imagine what it would be like if I wasn't blocking IPs with multiple failed login attempts.

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