A vulnerability has been identified in Linux-PAM, which allows malicious, local users to escalate their privileges.

The problem exists if PAM has been configured with "pam_wheel" to allow trusted users to become root without supplying the root password. Furthermore, the "trust" option has to be enabled and the "use_uid" option disabled.

Creating a "link" to the "tty" of a wheel user and starting "bash" so that it reads this "tty" allows malicious users to bypass the verification and escalate their privileges.

Solution
Reportedly, a patch has been released, which ensures better verification of the user.
Further details available to Secunia VIM customers

Provided and/or discovered by
Discovered by Karol Wiesek
Published by iDEFENSE

Original Advisory
http://www.idefense.com/advisory/06.16.03.txt

Deep Links
Links available to Secunia VIM customers