New Linux Flaws: What Every SMB Leader Needs to Know—and Do—About Root Access Risks

Two Critical Linux Vulnerabilities: What’s at Stake for Your Business?

Imagine a cybercriminal gaining full control over your company’s most important IT systems—all thanks to a seemingly secure desktop or server running Linux. This isn’t a far-fetched scenario: in June 2025, two newly-revealed vulnerabilities—now tracked as CVE-2025-6018 and CVE-2025-6019—make it possible for attackers to escalate their privileges from regular user to administrator (root) on a wide range of Linux distributions. Even if your business runs only a handful of Linux machines, these flaws present a serious, urgent risk.

For small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs), it’s easy to think, “We’re too small for hackers to care.” But the reality is, cybercriminals often target SMBs exactly for that reason—especially when vulnerabilities make attacks fast and straightforward. According to IBM’s 2023 Cost of a Data Breach report, over half of all breaches involve credentials or privilege escalation attacks (IBM, 2023). That’s why ignoring news like this is not an option.

Breaking Down the Vulnerabilities

Here’s what you need to know in plain English:

• PAM (Pluggable Authentication Modules) and Udisks are core Linux components responsible for user authentication and disk management.
• CVE-2025-6018 allows a “regular” unprivileged user to gain an important internal status (“allow_active”) on SUSE 15 Linux systems using PAM.
• CVE-2025-6019 lets someone with that “allow_active” status escalate to full root access by exploiting Udisks.
• A successful attack grants an adversary the highest possible privileges—complete, unrestricted access to your Linux device and, by extension, possibly your entire network.

Many organizations rely on Linux for servers, file shares, and special-purpose desktops. Unfortunately, attackers just need local access (physical or via a compromised account), and these vulnerabilities can be chained together to take over the system.

3 Immediate Actions to Secure Your Business

Avoiding the technical weeds, here are focused, actionable steps you can take in less than a month to reduce your exposure:

1. Patch Promptly—But Verify: Work with your IT team or MSP to identify every Linux device in your environment, especially those running SUSE 15 and other major distributions. Apply security updates as soon as they become available, but confirm updates were successful (don’t assume!).
2. Audit Local Users and Access: Limit the number of local user accounts, disable unused accounts, and require strong authentication (see BoltWork’s Identity Threat Protection for robust solutions).
3. Implement Least Privilege & Monitor: Ensure users only have the access required for their roles and monitor for suspicious activity—especially login attempts and privilege changes. SMBs that monitor for privilege escalation detect breaches nearly 25% faster (Verizon DBIR, 2024).

> Note: Automated patch management and endpoint protection take these tasks off your team’s plate—and help plug security gaps before attackers exploit them.

Want unbiased advice or a quick check on your systems? Book a 15-min security consult with BoltWork.ai to understand your current exposure and cost-effective fixes.

Why SMBs Are Especially at Risk—and How We Help

Large enterprises may have redundant security checks, but most small businesses lack dedicated in-house IT security staff. When vulnerabilities like these make headlines, IT teams are often stretched thin, struggling to prioritize, patch, and verify—all while fielding helpdesk tickets and managing daily operations.

This is where BoltWork.ai’s managed IT and cybersecurity services come in. We:

• Actively track emerging threats and apply critical patches—so you don’t have to chase updates.
• Provide continuous threat protection for devices (see details).
• Audit credentials, restrict unnecessary privileges, and monitor for indicators of attack.
• Offer predictable, flat monthly costs—giving you peace of mind and reducing surprise expenses.

Secure, Simplify, Reduce Costs—With the Right Partner

Cyber criminals don’t need to write their own exploits anymore. Public vulnerabilities like CVE-2025-6018 and CVE-2025-6019 give attackers blueprints to target SMBs using outdated or unmonitored Linux systems. Proactive security isn’t just about compliance—it prevents business downtime, reputational damage, and costly recovery.

Don’t wait for an incident to reveal costly gaps. Book your free, no-obligation 15-minute security consult now, and see how BoltWork.ai can help you secure, simplify, and save.

References

• IBM, 2023 Cost of a Data Breach Report
• Verizon 2024 Data Breach Investigations Report (DBIR)