Description
An information disclosure vulnerability exists in Canonical ubuntu-pro-client (formerly ubuntu-advantage-tools). The client validates Ubuntu Pro APT credentials by executing /usr/lib/apt/apt-helper using the download-file command. During this process, the secret bearer token is embedded directly in the cleartext URL component passed via the command-line arguments (argv), resulting in a URL format such as https://bearer:<token>@esm.ubuntu.com/.../. On systems utilizing a default-mounted /proc file system where process-hiding mitigations (such as hidepid) are disabled, an unprivileged local attacker can monitor system processes and read the sensitive bearer token directly from /proc/cmdline while the helper process is actively running. This leaked token can subsequently be used to gain unauthorized access to the victim's Ubuntu Pro or Expanded Security Maintenance (ESM) repositories.
Affected products
Version statuses are supplied by the assigning organization. Consult the original record for detailed ranges and platform conditions.
Canonical ubuntu-pro-client (ubuntu-advantage-tools)
Default version status: unaffected
0 to < 37.3affected
Canonical Ubuntu 26.04 LTS
Default version status: affected
37.2ubuntu0.1unaffected
Canonical Ubuntu 24.04 LTS
Default version status: affected
37.2ubuntu~24.04.1unaffected
Canonical Ubuntu 22.04 LTS
Default version status: affected
37.2ubuntu~22.04.1unaffected
Canonical Ubuntu 20.04 LTS
Default version status: affected
37.1ubuntu0~20.04.1unaffected
Canonical Ubuntu 18.04 LTS
Default version status: affected
37.1ubuntu0~18.04.1unaffected
Canonical Ubuntu 16.04 LTS
Default version status: affected
37.1ubuntu0~16.04.1unaffected
Canonical Ubuntu 14.04 LTS
Default version status: affected
19.7ubuntu0.1unaffected