libuser before 0.56.13-8 and 0.60 before 0.60-7, as used in the userhelper program in the…
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Local
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- High
- Impact type
- Security bypass
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- High · High · High
- Fix status
- Partial Red Hat: 16 fixed, 1 without a fix
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CISA ADP. Fix status from CNA and Red Hat. Impact type from CWE-264.
Summary
libuser before 0.56.13-8 and 0.60 before 0.60-7, as used in the userhelper program in the usermode package, directly modifies /etc/passwd, which allows local users to cause a denial of service (inconsistent file state) by causing an error during the modification. NOTE: this issue can be combined with CVE-2015-3245 to gain privileges.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3
- Exploitation
- Active
- Automatable
- No
- Technical impact
- Total
The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | — | all versions | — | No fix listed | CNA |
- — Vendor— Affected all versions Fixed in — No fix listed CNA
CPE configurations NVD · 5
| CPE | Versions | Role | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux:5.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 5.0 | Vulnerable | Red Hat |
| cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux:6.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.0 | Vulnerable | Red Hat |
| cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux:7.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 7.0 | Vulnerable | Red Hat |
| cpe:2.3:o:opensuse:opensuse:13.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 13.2 | Vulnerable | openSUSE |
| cpe:2.3:a:libuser_project:libuser:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | before 0.56.13-8; 0.60 to before 0.60-7 | Vulnerable | Libuser Project |
- cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux:5.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 5.0 Vulnerable ·Red Hat
- cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux:6.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.0 Vulnerable ·Red Hat
- cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux:7.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 7.0 Vulnerable ·Red Hat
- cpe:2.3:o:opensuse:opensuse:13.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 13.2 Vulnerable ·openSUSE
- cpe:2.3:a:libuser_project:libuser:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions before 0.56.13-8; 0.60 to before 0.60-7 Vulnerable ·Libuser Project
Remediation
Red Hat 2 advisories
- RHSA-2015:1483 Released 2015-07-23 · Red Hat rating Importantlibuser security update
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux Client (v. 7) libuser-0.60-7.el7_1, libuser-python-0.60-7.el7_1
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux Client Optional (v. 7) libuser-devel-0.60-7.el7_1
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux ComputeNode (v. 7) libuser-0.60-7.el7_1, libuser-python-0.60-7.el7_1
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux ComputeNode Optional (v. 7) libuser-devel-0.60-7.el7_1
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server (v. 7) libuser-0.60-7.ael7b_1, libuser-0.60-7.el7_1, libuser-0.60-7.el7_1.ppc +2
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server Optional (v. 7) libuser-devel-0.60-7.ael7b_1, libuser-devel-0.60-7.el7_1, libuser-devel-0.60-7.el7_1.ppc
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation (v. 7) libuser-0.60-7.el7_1, libuser-python-0.60-7.el7_1
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation Optional (v. 7) libuser-devel-0.60-7.el7_1
- RHSA-2015:1482 Released 2015-07-23 · Red Hat rating Importantlibuser security update
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux Desktop (v. 6) libuser-0.56.13-8.el6_7, libuser-python-0.56.13-8.el6_7
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux Desktop Optional (v. 6) libuser-devel-0.56.13-8.el6_7
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux HPC Node (v. 6) libuser-0.56.13-8.el6_7, libuser-python-0.56.13-8.el6_7
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux HPC Node Optional (v. 6) libuser-devel-0.56.13-8.el6_7
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server (v. 6) libuser-0.56.13-8.el6_7, libuser-0.56.13-8.el6_7.ppc, libuser-python-0.56.13-8.el6_7
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server Optional (v. 6) libuser-devel-0.56.13-8.el6_7, libuser-devel-0.56.13-8.el6_7.ppc
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation (v. 6) libuser-0.56.13-8.el6_7, libuser-python-0.56.13-8.el6_7
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation Optional (v. 6) libuser-devel-0.56.13-8.el6_7
Vendor assessments
Red Hat
Red Hat rating: Important. Red Hat's page for this CVE →
| Product | Status | Plan or fix |
|---|---|---|
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5 | Affected | No fix planned: Will not fix |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux Client (v. 7) | Fixed | RHSA-2015:1483 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux Client Optional (v. 7) | Fixed | RHSA-2015:1483 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux ComputeNode (v. 7) | Fixed | RHSA-2015:1483 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux ComputeNode Optional (v. 7) | Fixed | RHSA-2015:1483 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux Desktop (v. 6) | Fixed | RHSA-2015:1482 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux Desktop Optional (v. 6) | Fixed | RHSA-2015:1482 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux HPC Node (v. 6) | Fixed | RHSA-2015:1482 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux HPC Node Optional (v. 6) | Fixed | RHSA-2015:1482 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server (v. 6) | Fixed | RHSA-2015:1482 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server (v. 7) | Fixed | RHSA-2015:1483 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server Optional (v. 6) | Fixed | RHSA-2015:1482 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server Optional (v. 7) | Fixed | RHSA-2015:1483 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation (v. 6) | Fixed | RHSA-2015:1482 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation (v. 7) | Fixed | RHSA-2015:1483 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation Optional (v. 6) | Fixed | RHSA-2015:1482 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation Optional (v. 7) | Fixed | RHSA-2015:1483 |
Timeline
- 2026-08-26 Added to CISA KEV
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2015-3246
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-f52h-j689-x786
- 2026-10-21 EPSS moved to the 95th–99th percentile
References
Exploit 2
More Red Hat Enterprise Linux vulnerabilities
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- TI-2021-17490 mod_proxy SSRF KEVCVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.0
Sources
- CVE-2015-3246 · CVE Program
- CVE-2015-3246 · NVD
- CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-f52h-j689-x786 · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2015-3246 · Red Hat security data · CC BY 4.0
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