Bug 33

Summary:	Possible Bug on sudo + vi
Product:	Sudo	Reporter:	fabio
Component:	Sudo	Assignee:	Todd C. Miller <Todd.Miller>
Status:	RESOLVED FIXED
Severity:	normal
Priority:	normal
Version:	1.6.3
Hardware:	PC
OS:	Linux

Description fabio 2001-04-11 15:03:33 MDT

When I make sudo vi, then you type :sh to go to shell you gain root access.

Comment 1 Todd C. Miller 2001-04-11 15:16:59 MDT

This is not a bug in sudo, it is a problem with giving a user access to programs
that allow shell escapes (vi is just one of many).  If you need to give access
to an editor you should use one that has a "secure" mode that disallows running
external commands.  Both nvi and vim have ways to do this.  To quote from the
sudo(8) man page "There is no easy way to prevent a user from gaining a root
shell if that user has access to commands allowing shell escapes."