FERRAMENTAS LINUX: SUSE Warns: Critical Cockpit Packages Update Secures Against Prototype Pollution Attack (CVE-2025-13465)

A critical SUSE security update addresses CVE-2025-13465, a high-severity prototype pollution vulnerability in Cockpit Packages. This flaw allows remote attackers to delete global methods, leading to severe availability risks. Learn how to patch SLES 16.0 and SAP systems now to mitigate this CVSS 8.8 threat.

The SUSE security team has proactively released a critical security update for cockpit-packages , addressing a significant prototype pollution vulnerability identified as CVE-2025-13465.

This flaw, carrying a severe CVSS score of 8.8, poses a direct threat to the stability and security of enterprise Linux environments, specifically SUSE Linux Enterprise Server (SLES) 16.0 and its SAP applications variant.

For system administrators and security architects, understanding the mechanics of this vulnerability and applying the patch immediately is paramount to maintaining infrastructure integrity. This advisory breaks down the technical implications, affected systems, and remediation strategies.

The Anatomy of the Threat: Prototype Pollution in Utility Functions

At the heart of this update lies a complex security flaw rooted in JavaScript's prototypal inheritance. CVE-2025-13465 specifically targets the _.unset and _.omit functions within the cockpit-packages module .

What is Prototype Pollution?

In JavaScript, objects inherit properties and methods from a prototype object. Prototype pollution occurs when an attacker manipulates the __proto__ property of an object, injecting malicious properties into the base object's prototype. This effectively alters the behavior of all objects that inherit from that polluted prototype.

In this specific instance, the vulnerability could allow a remote, unauthenticated attacker to trigger a condition where methods are unexpectedly deleted from the global prototype . By polluting the prototype via the flawed _.unset function, an attacker could potentially delete critical methods, leading to:

Denial of Service (High Availability Impact): The CVSS vector (CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:N/VI:L/VA:H) highlights a "High" availability impact. Deleting core methods can cause the application to crash or become unresponsive .
Integrity Violation: While the confidentiality impact is marked as none, the integrity impact is low, meaning an attacker could subtly alter the application's logic without leaking data.
Global Instability: Because the pollution targets the global prototype, the instability can cascade through all dependent modules, potentially crippling the Cockpit web console interface used for server management.

Affected Products and Package Lists

This update is crucial for organizations running the latest iterations of SUSE's enterprise offerings. The vulnerability is specific to the noarch architecture packages, indicating it is platform-independent code.

Primary Affected Products:

SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 16.0
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 16.0 [citation:original]

Updated Packages:

Name: cockpit-packages
Version: 3-160000.3.1
Architecture: noarch

It is important to distinguish this update from others released on the same day. While CVE-2025-13465 affects cockpit-packages, related components like cockpit-machines and cockpit itself have also received updates to address the same underlying prototype pollution issue by updating the lodash dependency .

This suggests a widespread library vulnerability affecting multiple Cockpit modules.

CVSS Score Analysis: Why an 8.8 Matters

The SUSE assessment of this vulnerability gives it a score of 8.8 (High) . Let's break down the CVSS:4.0 vector to understand the real-world risk: AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:N/VI:L/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N.

Network Vector (AV:N): The attack can be launched remotely over the network.

Low Attack Complexity (AC:L): The attacker does not need specialized conditions; they can simply send a malicious payload.

No Privileges Required (PR:N): The attacker does not need to be logged in.

High Availability Impact (VA:H): This is the primary damage. System availability is severely compromised.

Interestingly, the National Vulnerability Database (NVD) rates this slightly lower at 6.9 (Medium) .

The discrepancy often arises because SUSE assesses the impact within the context of their specific implementation and the critical nature of the Cockpit package in managing servers, whereas NVD provides a broader, more generalized score .

Patch Instructions and Remediation

SUSE recommends immediate remediation using their standard enterprise management tools. The update is not optional; it is a security imperative for maintaining a hardened security posture.

Applying the Patch:

Administrators can apply the patch using the following methods:

YaST Online Update: The preferred graphical method for SLES systems.
Zypper Patch (CLI): For headless servers or automation scripts, use the command line.

Specific CLI Commands:

For SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 16.0 and SAP Applications:
bash
```
zypper in -t patch SUSE-SLES-16.0-249=1
```

This command targets the specific patch ID SUSE-SLES-16.0-249=1, ensuring that only the relevant cockpit-packages update is applied [citation:original].

Conceptual Internal Link: For detailed guidance on using Zypper for bulk updates, readers could refer to a comprehensive "Enterprise Linux Patch Management" guide.

Broader Implications: The Lodash Dependency Chain

Analysis of related advisories reveals that CVE-2025-13465 is part of a larger pattern of prototype pollution flaws. Similar updates were issued for cockpit-machines and cockpit-subscriptions, explicitly mentioning the need to "Update the lodash dependency" .

This points to a vulnerability in a shared JavaScript utility library. Lodash is one of the most widely used utility libraries in the JavaScript ecosystem. A flaw in its unset and omit functions creates a ripple effect across any software that bundles it, including various SUSE management tools.

Proactive Security Measures: Defending Against Prototype Pollution

While patching is the immediate requirement, security teams should adopt a layered defense against prototype pollution. Here are three best practices to implement:

Freeze Object Prototypes: In Node.js environments, consider using Object.freeze(Object.prototype) to prevent any modifications after the initial load. However, test this thoroughly as it can break legitimate code.
Input Validation: Strictly validate and sanitize all JSON inputs, especially those containing __proto__, constructor, and prototype keys.
Disable Prototype in Node.js: For high-security applications, run Node.js with the --disable-proto=delete flag to completely remove the __proto__ property, effectively eliminating the attack vector .

Conclusion: The Criticality of Timely Patching

The SUSE Cockpit Packages update for CVE-2025-13465 is more than a routine advisory; it is a critical response to a sophisticated JavaScript threat.

The ability for an unauthenticated remote attacker to pollute the global prototype and delete essential methods represents a high-severity risk to system availability.

Organizations running SLES 16.0 must prioritize this patch to ensure their Cockpit-based management interfaces remain stable and secure. By understanding the mechanics of prototype pollution and acting on the provided patch instructions, administrators can protect their enterprise infrastructure from potential service disruptions.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What is the primary risk of CVE-2025-13465?

A: The primary risk is a high availability impact. An attacker can exploit the prototype pollution to delete global methods, likely causing the Cockpit service to crash or malfunction.

Q2: Is this vulnerability remotely exploitable?

A: Yes. The CVSS vector indicates AV:N (Network Vector) , meaning an attacker can exploit this flaw remotely without physical or local network access, provided they can reach the service.

Q3: Does this affect SUSE Linux Enterprise Micro?

A: While the primary cockpit-packages advisory targets SLES 16.0, other advisories for the same CVE show that SUSE Linux Micro 6.2 and SUSE Linux Enterprise Micro 5.2 are affected in their respective Cockpit components (like cockpit and cockpit-machines) . All SUSE 16 products utilizing Cockpit should be assessed.

Q4: How does prototype pollution differ from XSS?

A: While both are client-side script issues, XSS (Cross-Site Scripting) injects malicious scripts into a web page viewed by others. Prototype pollution manipulates the JavaScript logic itself on the server or client side by altering the object inheritance chain, leading to logic flaws and crashes rather than just script execution.