A newly revealed exploit for an unpatched vulnerability in Linux poses a grave threat. Dubbed CopyFail, it allows attackers to gain root access across all vulnerable distributions with no modifications.

The flaw is particularly egregious because it can be exploited via a single piece of code that works on systems like Ubuntu, Amazon Linux and Debian, making it a one-size-fits-all hacking solution. Security researchers warn that the exploit could lead to breaches in shared infrastructure such as containers and CI/CD pipelines.

‘Local privilege escalation’ means an attacker with any level of access can elevate their permissions to root on the system. From there, they can control every file, install backdoors and compromise other systems. The vulnerability stems from a logic flaw in the kernel’s crypto API, which was overlooked until now.

Theori, the security firm that disclosed this flaw, claims it found it using its AI-powered tool, Xint. While some distributions like Arch Linux and RedHat Fedora have patched their systems, many others remain vulnerable. The lack of coordinated disclosure by Theori has raised concerns among experts about proper vulnerability management practices.