Multiple directory traversal vulnerabilities in pam_timestamp.c in the pam_timestamp module for Linux-PAM (aka pam) 1.1.8 allow local users

Affected versions

NVD version ranges (for catalog products). Add the product to your stack with a version and matching uses these.

• linux-pam linux-pam1.1.8

Package-level exposure

OSV and GitHub Advisory data: ecosystem, package and range. SBOM matching uses this table.

Other highest-scoring records for the same primary product.

• CVE-2020-27780A flaw was found in Linux-Pam in versions prior to 1.5.1 in the way it handle empty passwords for non-existing users.
  40Plan
• CVE-2022-28321The Linux-PAM package before 1.5.2-6.1 for openSUSE Tumbleweed allows authentication bypass for SSH logins.
  39Monitor
• CVE-2010-4708The pam_env module in Linux-PAM (aka pam) 1.1.2 and earlier reads the .pam_environment file in a user's home directory, which might allow lo
  28Monitor
• CVE-2026-54411Linux-PAM pam_userdb Observable Timing Discrepancy in Plaintext Password Comparison
  27Monitor
• CVE-2015-3238The _unix_run_helper_binary function in the pam_unix module in Linux-PAM (aka pam) before 1.2.1, when unable to directly access passwords, a
  27Monitor
• CVE-2010-3853pam_namespace.c in the pam_namespace module in Linux-PAM (aka pam) before 1.1.3 uses the environment of the invoking application or service
  27Monitor

FIRST EPSS daily score; only changes of 0.01 or more are recorded (step chart).

Root cause

A user-supplied file name is joined with the allowed directory, but the result is never checked to confirm it is still inside that directory.

A representative example of this vulnerability class. Not the vendor's source code; it shows the faulty pattern and its fix.

1const file = path.join(ROOT, req.query.name);2res.sendFile(file);

1const file = path.resolve(ROOT, req.query.name);2if (!file.startsWith(ROOT + path.sep)) {3  return res.sendStatus(400);4}5res.sendFile(file);

Attack context

MITRE CAPEC attack patterns and ATT&CK techniques for this weakness class (CWE). A starting point for detection rules and threat hunting.