calamares-nixos-extensions LUKS keyfile exposure regression on legacy BIOS systems
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Local
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- High
- Impact type
- Information disclosure
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- High · High · None
- Fix status
- Fixed
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CNA. Fix status from CNA. Impact type from CWE-256.
Summary
calamares-nixos-extensions provides Calamares branding and modules for NixOS, a distribution of GNU/Linux. Users who installed NixOS through the graphical installer who used manual disk partitioning to create a setup where the system was booted via legacy BIOS rather than UEFI; some disk partitions are encrypted; but the partitions containing either `/` or `/boot` are unencrypted; have their LUKS disk encryption key file in plain text either in `/crypto_keyfile.bin`, or in a CPIO archive attached to their NixOS initrd. `nixos-install` is not affected, nor are UEFI installations, nor was the default automatic partitioning configuration on legacy BIOS systems. The problem has been fixed in calamares-nixos-extensions 0.3.17, which was included in NixOS. The current installer images for the NixOS 24.05 and unstable (24.11) channels are unaffected. The fix reached 24.05 at 2024-08-13 20:06:59 UTC, and unstable at 2024-08-15 09:00:20 UTC. Installer images downloaded before those times may be vulnerable. The best solution for affected users is probably to back up their data and do a complete reinstallation. However, the mitigation procedure in GHSA-3rvf-24q2-24ww should work solely for the case where `/` is encrypted but `/boot` is not. If `/` is unencrypted, then the `/crypto_keyfile.bin` file will need to be deleted in addition to the remediation steps in the previous advisory. This issue is a partial regression of CVE-2023-36476 / GHSA-3rvf-24q2-24ww, which was more severe as it applied to the default configuration on BIOS systems.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3
- Exploitation
- None
- Automatable
- No
- Technical impact
- Total
The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.
Affected products
Remediation
- Fix · CNA calamares-nixos-extensions (NixOS) Fixed in 0.3.17
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2024-43378
References
Other 5
- https://github.com/NixOS/calamares-nixos-extensions/security/advisories/GHSA-vfxf-gpmj-2p25
- https://github.com/NixOS/calamares-nixos-extensions/security/advisories/GHSA-3rvf-24q2-24ww
- https://github.com/NixOS/calamares-nixos-extensions/pull/43
- https://github.com/NixOS/nixpkgs/pull/331607
- https://github.com/NixOS/nixpkgs/pull/334252
More NixOS vulnerabilities
- TI-2026-23989 crypto: algif_aead - Revert to operating out-of-place KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 7.8
- TI-2024-11208 Rsync: heap buffer overflow in rsync due to improper checksum length handling CVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
- TI-2026-19201 Tandoor Recipes module allows SQLite database to be externally accessible with the default settings CVSS 4.0HIGH 8.7
- TI-2024-11209 Rsync: info leak via uninitialized stack contents CVSS 3.1HIGH 7.5
- TI-2024-11212 Rsync: --safe-links option bypass leads to path traversal CVSS 3.1HIGH 7.5
- TI-2024-11211 Rsync: path traversal vulnerability in rsync CVSS 3.1HIGH 7.5
Sources
This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences