CVE-2026-29124: IDC SFX2100 Privilege Escalation Flaw

CVE-2026-29124 Overview

Multiple SUID root-owned binaries have been identified in the International Data Casting (IDC) SFX2100 Satellite Receiver that could allow local privilege escalation. The vulnerable binaries are located at /home/monitor/terminal, /home/monitor/kore-terminal, /home/monitor/IDE-DPack/terminal-dpack, and /home/monitor/IDE-DPack/terminal-dpack2. An attacker with access to the monitor user account can exploit these misconfigured SUID binaries to escalate privileges to root, gaining complete control over the satellite receiver device.

Critical Impact

Local attackers can escalate from the monitor user to root privileges by exploiting SUID root-owned binaries, potentially compromising the entire satellite receiver infrastructure.

Affected Products

• International Data Casting (IDC) SFX2100 Satellite Receiver

Discovery Timeline

• 2026-03-05 - CVE-2026-29124 published to NVD
• 2026-03-05 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2026-29124

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability stems from improper privilege management (CWE-269) in the IDC SFX2100 Satellite Receiver. The device contains multiple SUID (Set User ID) binaries owned by root that are accessible to the monitor user. SUID binaries execute with the privileges of the file owner rather than the executing user, which in this case means any execution runs with root privileges.

The presence of these SUID root binaries in user-accessible locations within the /home/monitor/ directory hierarchy represents a significant security misconfiguration. When a low-privileged user such as monitor can execute these binaries, they effectively gain the ability to perform actions as root, bypassing the intended access controls of the system.

Root Cause

The root cause of this vulnerability is improper access control and privilege management in the device's file system configuration. The terminal binaries (terminal, kore-terminal, terminal-dpack, and terminal-dpack2) have been configured with the SUID bit set and are owned by root, yet they reside in a directory accessible to non-root users. This configuration violates the principle of least privilege and creates a direct path for privilege escalation.

Attack Vector

The attack vector is local, requiring an attacker to first gain access to the monitor user account on the satellite receiver. Once authenticated as the monitor user, the attacker can identify and execute the SUID root binaries located in the home directory. Depending on the functionality of these binaries, the attacker may be able to spawn a root shell, execute arbitrary commands with root privileges, or manipulate system files that would otherwise be protected.

The exploitation typically involves executing one of the vulnerable SUID binaries and leveraging its elevated privileges to perform unauthorized actions. Technical details and proof-of-concept information can be found in the security researcher's blog post.

Detection Methods for CVE-2026-29124

Indicators of Compromise

• Unexpected process execution from /home/monitor/terminal, /home/monitor/kore-terminal, /home/monitor/IDE-DPack/terminal-dpack, or /home/monitor/IDE-DPack/terminal-dpack2
• Audit logs showing the monitor user spawning processes with root privileges
• Unusual file modifications or system configuration changes originating from SUID binary execution
• Evidence of privilege escalation attempts in system authentication logs

Detection Strategies

• Implement file integrity monitoring on the /home/monitor/ directory to detect unauthorized access or modification of SUID binaries
• Monitor process execution events for any invocation of the identified terminal binaries, especially when executed by non-root users
• Configure audit rules to log all SUID binary executions on the system
• Perform regular security audits to identify SUID binaries in non-standard locations

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable comprehensive logging for all user authentication and privilege escalation events on the satellite receiver
• Deploy endpoint detection solutions capable of identifying anomalous privilege escalation patterns
• Monitor for new processes spawned with elevated privileges from user home directories
• Regularly scan the file system for SUID/SGID binaries and compare against a known baseline

How to Mitigate CVE-2026-29124

Immediate Actions Required

• Remove the SUID bit from the affected binaries using chmod u-s on each file if the functionality is not required
• Restrict access to the monitor user account and audit all accounts with access to the satellite receiver
• Relocate necessary SUID binaries to protected system directories with appropriate access controls
• Implement network segmentation to limit lateral movement if the device is compromised
• Contact International Data Casting (IDC) for official guidance on securing the SFX2100 Satellite Receiver

Patch Information

No official patch information is currently available from the vendor. Organizations should consult directly with International Data Casting (IDC) for firmware updates or security advisories addressing this vulnerability. In the interim, implement the workarounds and mitigations described below to reduce exposure.

Workarounds

• Remove the SUID bit from all four vulnerable binaries to prevent privilege escalation
• Implement strict access controls limiting which users can log into the satellite receiver
• Deploy application whitelisting to prevent unauthorized execution of the vulnerable binaries
• Consider network-level isolation of affected satellite receiver devices until a vendor patch is available

# Configuration example
# Remove SUID bit from vulnerable binaries
chmod u-s /home/monitor/terminal
chmod u-s /home/monitor/kore-terminal
chmod u-s /home/monitor/IDE-DPack/terminal-dpack
chmod u-s /home/monitor/IDE-DPack/terminal-dpack2

# Verify SUID bit has been removed
ls -la /home/monitor/terminal
ls -la /home/monitor/kore-terminal
ls -la /home/monitor/IDE-DPack/terminal-dpack
ls -la /home/monitor/IDE-DPack/terminal-dpack2