setpwnam.c in the util-linux package, as included in Red Hat Linux 7.3 and earlier, and other operating systems, does not properly lock a te
setpwnam.c in the util-linux package, as included in Red Hat Linux 7.3 and earlier, and other operating systems, does not properly lock a temporary file when modifying /etc/passwd, which may allow local users to gain privileges via a complex race condition that uses an open file descriptor in utility programs such as chfn and chsh.
- Published
- Aug 12, 2002
- Updated
- Jun 16, 2026
- EPSS
- 0.5% · 42th percentile
- CWE
- —
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Report tools
Action score
24
Monitor
Low priority for now.
- CVSS
- 24 / 40 · 6.2 / 10
- CISA KEV
- 0 / 30 · Not listed
- EPSS
- 0 / 30 · 0.5%
Affected systems
| Vendor | Product | CPE |
|---|---|---|
| mandrakesoft | mandrake single network firewall | cpe:2.3:a:mandrakesoft:mandrake_single_network_firewall |
| mandrakesoft | mandrake linux | cpe:2.3:o:mandrakesoft:mandrake_linux |
| mandrakesoft | mandrake linux corporate server | cpe:2.3:o:mandrakesoft:mandrake_linux_corporate_server |
| hp | secure os | cpe:2.3:o:hp:secure_os |
| redhat | linux | cpe:2.3:o:redhat:linux |
Affected versions
NVD version ranges (for catalog products). Add the product to your stack with a version and matching uses these.
- hp secure os1.0
- mandrakesoft mandrake linux7.0
- mandrakesoft mandrake linux7.1
- mandrakesoft mandrake linux7.2
- mandrakesoft mandrake linux8.0
- mandrakesoft mandrake linux8.1
- mandrakesoft mandrake linux8.2
- mandrakesoft mandrake linux corporate server1.0.1
- mandrakesoft mandrake single network firewall7.2
- redhat linux6.0
- redhat linux6.1
- redhat linux6.2
- redhat linux7.0
- redhat linux7.1
- redhat linux7.2
- redhat linux7.3
Remediation
Which version to upgrade to
Fix versions compiled from the vendor, package registries and Microsoft. Verify the vendor's note before upgrading.
No fix version is recorded for this entry. Check the references for vendor advisories.
Exploit status
No known public exploit
No public exploit has been observed yet. That doesn't mean you're safe, only that the bar is a little higher.
Research context
For pentesters and researchers: attack profile, score disagreement, timeline, patch commits, credits, variant and chain candidates, bug bounty scope. All derived from existing data; no exploit code.
Timeline
From publication to today: proof of concept, Metasploit module, CISA KEV and fix record. Dates are as reported by the sources.
No dated events beyond publication.
FIRST EPSS daily score; only changes of 0.01 or more are recorded (step chart).
Patch and commit links
Commit, PR and diff links among the references. A starting point for patch-diffing and variant hunting; fixes, not exploits.
No commit or PR link among the references.
Credits
All researchersFinders, reporters and analysts named in the CNA record. Click a name for that researcher’s other records.
No credits in the CNA record.
Variant candidates
Same product, same weakness class, within 18 months. If the patch missed the root cause, the sibling bug is here.
No nightly-computed relations.
Chain candidates
An authentication bypass and a privilege-requiring bug in the same product, published close together: combined they may become an unauthenticated path.
—
Bug bounty scope
No known public program.
Source: bounty-targets-data (public HackerOne, Bugcrowd, Intigriti, YesWeHack listings).
Technical details
Attack conditions
- Special conditions such as timing or configuration are required.
If successful
- Confidentiality
- C · data can be read
- Integrity
- C · data or configuration can be modified
- Availability
- C · the service can be disrupted
- Attack complexity
- High
- Confidentiality impact
- C
- Integrity impact
- C
- Availability impact
- C
Weakness class (CWE)
—
CVSS vector
AV:L/AC:H/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C
nvd-primary
Attack context
MITRE CAPEC attack patterns and ATT&CK techniques for this weakness class (CWE). A starting point for detection rules and threat hunting.
MITRE has no CAPEC/ATT&CK mapping for this CWE.
Noroxi analysis
No Noroxi analysis for this record yet
We don't hand-write analysis for all 385,000+ vulnerabilities; that wouldn't be honest. For notable, high-impact vulnerabilities our team writes the mechanism, detection and remediation steps.
We use this product, ask for helpChange log
No changes recorded on tracked fields yet. Score, KEV, exploit maturity and fix status changes appear here.
References
- www.osvdb.org/5164
- www.redhat.com/support/errata/RHSA-2002-137.html
- ftp://ftp.caldera.com/pub/security/OpenLinux/CSSA-2002-043.0.txt
- archives.neohapsis.com/archives/bugtraq/2002-07/0357.html
- archives.neohapsis.com/archives/bugtraq/2002-07/0396.html
- distro.conectiva.com.br/atualizacoes/?id=a&anuncio=000523
- marc.info/?l=bugtraq&m=102795787713996&w=2
- online.securityfocus.com/advisories/4320
- rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2002-132.html
- www.iss.net/security_center/static/9709.php
- www.kb.cert.org/vuls/id/405955
- www.linux-mandrake.com/en/security/2002/MDKSA-2002-047.php
- www.securityfocus.com/bid/5344
Vendor advisories and official records. Exploit/PoC links are deliberately left out.