CVE-2014-9680

What it actually does

The flaw permits a local user to supply a crafted TZ environment variable that is not backed by a zoneinfo file; when a program is invoked under sudo the variable causes the privileged process to open arbitrary files for read access without disclosing their contents, enabling interference with terminal I/O, kernel log discarding, or tape-drive repositioning.

Why it matters to the business

Attackers with local access can disrupt privileged operations, tamper with audit trails, or interfere with device handling on systems that still run vulnerable sudo versions, increasing operational risk and potential compliance exposure until the package is updated.

How an attack unfolds

An attacker with a local shell sets a malicious TZ value, executes a command through sudo, and leverages the resulting file-open side effects to manipulate terminal output, suppress logs, or reposition tape devices; no remote access or elevated privileges beyond the initial local account are required.

How to fix it

Upgrade the sudo package to version 1.8.12 or later on all affected systems; after the upgrade, verify that TZ is validated against zoneinfo before any privileged execution occurs.

How to confirm the fix worked

Run 'sudo --version' and confirm the installed release is at least 1.8.12; attempt to reproduce the original TZ manipulation in a test environment and verify that arbitrary file opens are rejected.

Typical attack path

1. Obtain a local shell on the target host
2. Export a TZ environment variable pointing outside the zoneinfo directory
3. Invoke a program via sudo that triggers the vulnerable code path
4. Observe or cause side effects such as altered terminal behavior, discarded logs, or tape-drive movement

How to detect it

Review sudo logs for sessions that include non-standard TZ values; inspect command histories and environment dumps for TZ entries that do not resolve to valid zoneinfo files; correlate any resulting terminal or log anomalies with sudo activity.

• TZ= followed by a path outside /usr/share/zoneinfo in sudo command lines or environment logs
• sudo process spawning with unexpected file-open attempts on non-zoneinfo paths

What your security team should do

• Prioritize patching sudo to 1.8.12+ on any remaining legacy systems
• Audit sudoers policies to ensure only necessary commands are permitted
• Enable sudo logging of environment variables for future anomaly detection
• Remove or restrict legacy hosts still running pre-1.8.12 sudo from production networks