A flaw was found in the util-linux chfn and chsh utilities when compiled with Readline support.
Noroxi assessment
Priority: Monitor (action score 22/100)
- The sources we track (CISA KEV, Exploit-DB, Metasploit, Nuclei, GitHub) show no public exploit code or exploitation in the wild.
- Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days: 0.43% (FIRST EPSS).
- Someone with local access to the system can trigger it. A low-privileged account is enough. No user action is required. No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.
- Fixed version: util-linux (Alpine:v3.12) 2.37.4-r0; util-linux (openSUSE:Tumbleweed) 2.37.4-1.1.
Low priority for now. Upgrade to util-linux (Alpine:v3.12) 2.37.4-r0; util-linux (openSUSE:Tumbleweed) 2.37.4-1.1 or later.
Generated automatically from the record's data: CVSS (NVD and CNA), CISA KEV and SSVC, FIRST EPSS, exploit sources, fixed versions. How we calculate it
Primary sources: NVD · CVE.org · FIRST EPSS
A flaw was found in the util-linux chfn and chsh utilities when compiled with Readline support. The Readline library uses an "INPUTRC" environment variable to get a path to the library config file. When the library cannot parse the specified file, it prints an error message containing data from the file. This flaw allows an unprivileged user to read root-owned files, potentially leading to privilege escalation. This flaw affects util-linux versions prior to 2.37.4.
- Published
- Feb 21, 2022
- Updated
- Oct 14, 2026
- EPSS
- 0.4% · 35th percentile
- CWE
- CWE-209
Report tools
Action score
22
Monitor
Low priority for now.
- CVSS
- 22 / 40 · 5.5 / 10
- CISA KEV
- 0 / 30 · Not listed
- EPSS
- 0 / 30 · 0.4%
CISA SSVC decision
- Exploitation
- none
- Automatable
- no
- Technical impact
- partial
Vulnrichment: CISA's decision-tree inputs.
CNA vs NVD score
- NVD
- 5.5
- CNA · redhat
- 5.5
- agree
The score given by the assigning authority versus NVD’s independent score. A gap means the severity is contested.
Get told when this record changes
- Not in KEV: no record of exploitation in the wild
- No public exploit code on record
- A fix has been released
If any of these changes, we'll tell you in the daily email digest.
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Noroxi analysis
What does it mean in your environment?
The assessment above is generated automatically from the record's data; it doesn't know your environment. Our team verifies on your systems whether this vulnerability is actually exploitable and which mitigation is enough.
We use this product, ask for helpAffected systems
Is your version affected?
Pick the product and type the version you run. It's compared with this record's version ranges in your browser; the version isn't sent anywhere.
| Vendor | Product | CPE |
|---|---|---|
| kernel | util-linux | cpe:2.3:a:kernel:util-linux |
| netapp | ontap select deploy administration utility | cpe:2.3:a:netapp:ontap_select_deploy_administration_utility |
Affected versions
NVD version ranges (for catalog products). Add the product to your stack with a version and matching uses these.
- kernel util-linuxbefore 2.37.4
- netapp ontap select deploy administration utilityall versions
Versions reported by the vendor
Affected version ranges reported by the assigning authority (redhat). Independent of NVD's CPE analysis and usually ahead of it.
n/a util-linux
- util-linux 2.37.4affected
Package-level exposure
OSV and GitHub Advisory data: ecosystem, package and range. SBOM matching uses this table.
| Ecosystem | Package | Affected range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alpine:v3.12 | util-linux | before 2.37.4-r0 | 2.37.4-r0 |
| Debian:12 | util-linux | all versions | — |
| openSUSE:Tumbleweed | util-linux | before 2.37.4-1.1 | 2.37.4-1.1 |
Same product
kernel: all recordsOther highest-scoring records for the same primary product.
- CVE-2015-5224The mkostemp function in login-utils in util-linux when used incorrectly allows remote attackers to cause file name collision and possibly o40Plan
- CVE-2018-7738In util-linux before 2.32-rc1, bash-completion/umount allows local users to gain privileges by embedding shell commands in a mountpoint name31Monitor
- CVE-2016-2779runuser in util-linux allows local users to escape to the parent session via a crafted TIOCSTI ioctl call, which pushes characters to the te31Monitor
- CVE-2007-5191mount and umount in util-linux and loop-aes-utils call the setuid and setgid functions in the wrong order and do not check the return values28Monitor
- CVE-2020-21583An issue was discovered in hwclock.13-v2.27 allows attackers to gain escalated privlidges or execute arbitrary commands via the path paramet26Monitor
- CVE-2021-3996A logic error was found in the libmount library of util-linux in the function that allows an unprivileged user to unmount a FUSE filesystem.22Monitor
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 |
|---|---|---|
| alpine:util-linux | 2.37.4-r0 · Alpine:v3.12 | Package registry (OSV) |
| opensuse:util-linux | 2.37.4-1.1 · openSUSE:Tumbleweed | 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
- Someone with local access to the system can trigger it.
- A low-privileged account is enough.
- No user action is required.
- No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.
If successful
- Confidentiality
- high · data can be read
- Integrity
- none
- Availability
- none
- Attack vector
- Local
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Privileges required
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality impact
- High
- Integrity impact
- None
- Availability impact
- None
Weakness class (CWE)
CWE-209 · Generation of Error Message Containing Sensitive InformationCVSS vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N
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.
Change log
- Fix✗ → ✓
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References
Show all references (3 more)Show less
Vendor advisories and official records. Exploit/PoC links are deliberately left out.