The polkit_backend_action_pool_init function in polkitbackend/polkitbackendactionpool.c in PolicyKit (aka polkit) before 0.113 might allow l
The polkit_backend_action_pool_init function in polkitbackend/polkitbackendactionpool.c in PolicyKit (aka polkit) before 0.113 might allow local users to gain privileges via duplicate action IDs in action descriptions.
- Published
- Oct 26, 2015
- Updated
- Jun 16, 2026
- EPSS
- 0.4% · 28th percentile
- CWE
- CWE-264
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Report tools
Action score
18
Monitor
Low priority for now.
- CVSS
- 18 / 40 · 4.6 / 10
- CISA KEV
- 0 / 30 · Not listed
- EPSS
- 0 / 30 · 0.4%
Affected systems
| Vendor | Product | CPE |
|---|---|---|
| polkit project | polkit | cpe:2.3:a:polkit_project:polkit |
Affected versions
NVD version ranges (for catalog products). Add the product to your stack with a version and matching uses these.
- polkit project polkitup to 0.112 inclusive
Package-level exposure
OSV and GitHub Advisory data: ecosystem, package and range. SBOM matching uses this table.
| Ecosystem | Package | Affected range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| Debian:12 | policykit-1 | before 0.105-12 | 0.105-12 |
| SUSE:Linux Enterprise Desktop 12 | polkit | before 0.113-4.1 | 0.113-4.1 |
Same product
polkit project: all recordsOther highest-scoring records for the same primary product.
- CVE-2021-4034A local privilege escalation vulnerability was found on polkit's pkexec utility.KEV89Now
- CVE-2021-3560It was found that polkit could be tricked into bypassing the credential checks for D-Bus requests, elevating the privileges of the requestorKEV68This week
- CVE-2018-19788A flaw was found in PolicyKit (aka polkit) 0.115 that allows a user with a uid greater than INT_MAX to successfully execute any systemctl co38Monitor
- CVE-2019-6133In PolicyKit (aka polkit) 0.115, the "start time" protection mechanism can be bypassed because fork() is not atomic, and therefore authoriza26Monitor
- CVE-2021-4115There is a flaw in polkit which can allow an unprivileged user to cause polkit to crash, due to process file descriptor exhaustion.22Monitor
- CVE-2015-3256PolicyKit (aka polkit) before 0.113 allows local users to cause a denial of service (memory corruption and polkitd daemon crash) and possibl18Monitor
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 |
|---|---|---|
| debian:policykit-1 | 0.105-12 · Debian:12 | Package registry (OSV) |
| suse:polkit | 0.113-4.1 · SUSE:Linux Enterprise Desktop 12 | 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
- No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.
If successful
- Confidentiality
- P · data can be read
- Integrity
- P · data or configuration can be modified
- Availability
- P · the service can be disrupted
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Confidentiality impact
- P
- Integrity impact
- P
- Availability impact
- P
Weakness class (CWE)
CWE-264 · Permissions, Privileges, and Access ControlsCVSS vector
AV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P
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
- Fix✗ → ✓
For records you follow, these changes also arrive as notifications. →
References
- lists.freedesktop.org/archives/polkit-devel/2015-July/000432.html
- lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2015-10/msg00010.html
- lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-updates/2015-11/msg00042.html
- www.securitytracker.com/id/1035023
- bugs.freedesktop.org/show_bug.cgi?id=83590
- bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1245673
- security.gentoo.org/glsa/201611-07
- usn.ubuntu.com/3717-2/
Vendor advisories and official records. Exploit/PoC links are deliberately left out.