A certain Red Hat script for sudo 1.7.2 on Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) 5 allows local users to overwrite arbitrary files via a symlink a
A certain Red Hat script for sudo 1.7.2 on Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) 5 allows local users to overwrite arbitrary files via a symlink attack on the /var/tmp/nsswitch.conf.bak temporary file.
- Published
- Aug 8, 2012
- Updated
- Jun 16, 2026
- EPSS
- 0.4% · 35th percentile
- CWE
- CWE-59
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Report tools
Action score
22
Monitor
Low priority for now.
- CVSS
- 22 / 40 · 5.6 / 10
- CISA KEV
- 0 / 30 · Not listed
- EPSS
- 0 / 30 · 0.4%
Affected systems
| Vendor | Product | CPE |
|---|---|---|
| todd miller | sudo | cpe:2.3:a:todd_miller:sudo |
| redhat | enterprise linux | cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux |
Affected versions
NVD version ranges (for catalog products). Add the product to your stack with a version and matching uses these.
- redhat enterprise linux5
- todd miller sudo1.7.2
Package-level exposure
OSV and GitHub Advisory data: ecosystem, package and range. SBOM matching uses this table.
| Ecosystem | Package | Affected range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:5::client | sudo | before 0:1.7.2p1-14.el5_8.2 | 0:1.7.2p1-14.el5_8.2 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:5::client | sudo-debuginfo | before 0:1.7.2p1-14.el5_8.2 | 0:1.7.2p1-14.el5_8.2 |
Same product
todd miller: all recordsOther highest-scoring records for the same primary product.
- CVE-2005-1831Sudo 1.6.8p7 on SuSE Linux 9.3, and possibly other Linux distributions, allows local users to gain privileges by using sudo to call su, then33Monitor
- CVE-2012-0809Format string vulnerability in the sudo_debug function in Sudo 1.8.0 through 1.8.3p1 allows local users to execute arbitrary code via format29Monitor
- CVE-2016-7032sudo_noexec.so in Sudo before 1.8.15 on Linux might allow local users to bypass intended noexec command restrictions via an application that28Monitor
- CVE-2013-1775sudo 1.6.0 through 1.7.10p6 and sudo 1.8.0 through 1.8.6p6 allows local users or physically proximate attackers to bypass intended time rest28Monitor
- CVE-2012-2337sudo 1.6.x and 1.7.x before 1.7.9p1, and 1.8.x before 1.8.4p5, does not properly support configurations that use a netmask syntax, which all28Monitor
- CVE-2006-0151sudo 1.6.8 and other versions does not clear the PYTHONINSPECT environment variable, which allows limited local users to gain privileges via28Monitor
Remediation
Which version to upgrade to
Fix versions compiled from the vendor, package registries and Microsoft. Verify the vendor's note before upgrading.
| Product / package | Fixed version | Source |
|---|---|---|
| red hat:sudo | 0:1.7.2p1-14.el5_8.2 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:5::client | Package registry (OSV) |
| red hat:sudo-debuginfo | 0:1.7.2p1-14.el5_8.2 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:5::client | Package registry (OSV) |
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
- none
- Integrity
- C · data or configuration can be modified
- Availability
- C · the service can be disrupted
- Attack complexity
- High
- Confidentiality impact
- None
- Integrity impact
- C
- Availability impact
- C
Weakness class (CWE)
CWE-59 · Improper Link Resolution Before File Access ('Link Following')CVSS vector
AV:L/AC:H/Au:N/C:N/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.
Attack patterns (CAPEC)
ATT&CK techniques
- Obfuscated Files or Information: HTML SmugglingT1027.006
- Obfuscated Files or Information: Embedded PayloadsT1027.009
- Boot or Logon Autostart Execution:Shortcut ModificationT1547.009
- Hide Artifacts: Resource ForkingT1564.009
- Hijack Execution Flow: Executable Installer File Permissions WeaknessT1574.005
- Hijack Execution Flow: Services File Permissions WeaknessT1574.010
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
- Fix✗ → ✓
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References
- www.oracle.com/technetwork/topics/security/ovmbulletinjul2016-3090546.html
- www.securityfocus.com/bid/54868
Vendor advisories and official records. Exploit/PoC links are deliberately left out.