📄 Description (English)
A flaw was found in NetworkManager. This local privilege escalation vulnerability exists in NetworkManager's dhclient backend when processing malformed Manufacturer Usage Description (MUD) URLs. A local user can exploit this flaw to escalate privileges by triggering a script via a crafted MUD URL, provided an administrator has explicitly configured NetworkManager to use dhclient. This issue does not affect default configurations of NetworkManager.
🤖 AI Executive Summary
CVE-2026-10805 is a local privilege escalation vulnerability in NetworkManager's dhclient backend affecting systems with non-default MUD URL configurations. With a CVSS score of 6.7, this CWE-78 command injection flaw requires local access and explicit administrator configuration to exploit. While no public exploit exists and patches are unavailable, organizations using dhclient with MUD support face moderate risk requiring immediate compensating controls.
📄 Description (Arabic)
🤖 AI Intelligence Analysis Analyzed: Jun 4, 2026 14:16
🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia Impact Assessment
Saudi government agencies, telecommunications providers (STC, Mobily), and financial institutions using Linux-based infrastructure with NetworkManager and dhclient backend are at moderate risk. ARAMCO and energy sector critical infrastructure, if utilizing affected configurations, could face privilege escalation attacks. Banking sector systems (SAMA-regulated) running on Linux servers with non-default NetworkManager configurations are vulnerable. The impact is limited to systems where administrators explicitly enabled dhclient with MUD URL processing, reducing widespread exposure across Saudi organizations.
🏢 Affected Saudi Sectors
Government
Telecommunications
Banking and Financial Services
Energy and Utilities
Healthcare
Critical Infrastructure
🎯 MITRE ATT&CK Techniques
⚖️ Saudi Risk Score (AI)
5.8
/ 10.0
🔧 Remediation Steps (English)
Immediate Actions:
1. Audit all Linux systems running NetworkManager to identify those using dhclient backend: `nmcli -t -f TYPE,DEVICE con show | grep ethernet`
2. Verify MUD URL configuration status: `grep -r 'mud' /etc/NetworkManager/` and check dhclient configuration files
3. Restrict local user access on affected systems using SELinux or AppArmor policies
4. Disable MUD URL processing if not operationally required
Compensating Controls (until patch available):
1. Implement strict file permissions on dhclient scripts: `chmod 700 /etc/dhcp/dhclient-exit-hooks.d/`
2. Deploy SELinux policy to restrict dhclient script execution context
3. Monitor for suspicious MUD URL patterns in NetworkManager logs: `journalctl -u NetworkManager | grep -i mud`
4. Implement local privilege escalation detection rules monitoring for unexpected privilege transitions from dhclient processes
5. Use AppArmor to confine dhclient process capabilities
Detection Rules:
1. Monitor for dhclient process spawning shell interpreters (bash, sh, python)
2. Alert on MUD URL parameters containing shell metacharacters (|, ;, &, $, backticks)
3. Track privilege escalation attempts from dhclient UID to root
4. Monitor /etc/dhcp/ directory for unauthorized modifications
🔧 خطوات المعالجة (العربية)
الإجراءات الفورية:
1. تدقيق جميع أنظمة Linux التي تشغل NetworkManager لتحديد تلك التي تستخدم واجهة dhclient: `nmcli -t -f TYPE,DEVICE con show | grep ethernet`
2. التحقق من حالة تكوين MUD URL: `grep -r 'mud' /etc/NetworkManager/` والتحقق من ملفات تكوين dhclient
3. تقييد وصول المستخدمين المحليين على الأنظمة المتأثرة باستخدام سياسات SELinux أو AppArmor
4. تعطيل معالجة MUD URL إذا لم تكن مطلوبة تشغيليًا
الضوابط التعويضية (حتى توفر التصحيح):
1. تنفيذ أذونات ملفات صارمة على نصوص dhclient: `chmod 700 /etc/dhcp/dhclient-exit-hooks.d/`
2. نشر سياسة SELinux لتقييد سياق تنفيذ نصوص dhclient
3. مراقبة أنماط MUD URL المريبة في سجلات NetworkManager: `journalctl -u NetworkManager | grep -i mud`
4. تنفيذ قواعد كشف تصعيد الامتيازات المحلية لمراقبة انتقالات الامتيازات غير المتوقعة من عمليات dhclient
5. استخدام AppArmor لحصر قدرات عملية dhclient
قواعد الكشف:
1. مراقبة عملية dhclient التي تولد مفسرات shell (bash, sh, python)
2. تنبيه على معاملات MUD URL التي تحتوي على أحرف shell metacharacters (|, ;, &, $, backticks)
3. تتبع محاولات تصعيد الامتيازات من UID dhclient إلى root
4. مراقبة دليل /etc/dhcp/ للتعديلات غير المصرح بها
📋 Regulatory Compliance Mapping
🟢 NCA ECC 2024
ECC 2024 A.5.1.1 - Access Control Policies (local privilege escalation prevention)
ECC 2024 A.8.2.1 - User Access Management (restrict local user capabilities)
ECC 2024 A.12.4.1 - Event Logging (monitor privilege escalation attempts)
ECC 2024 A.12.6.1 - Management of Technical Vulnerabilities
🔵 SAMA CSF
SAMA CSF ID.AM-2 - Asset Management (identify affected systems)
SAMA CSF PR.AC-1 - Access Control (implement compensating controls)
SAMA CSF DE.CM-1 - Detection and Analysis (monitor for exploitation)
SAMA CSF RS.MI-2 - Incident Response (privilege escalation detection)
🟡 ISO 27001:2022
ISO 27001:2022 A.5.3 - Segregation of Duties (restrict dhclient privileges)
ISO 27001:2022 A.8.1.1 - User Registration and De-registration
ISO 27001:2022 A.8.2.1 - User Access Provisioning
ISO 27001:2022 A.12.6.1 - Management of Technical Vulnerabilities