CVE-2012-1096Public exploit

Arbitrary file read via unsanitized certificate paths

Published Mar 10, 2020 · Updated Aug 6, 2024

Arbitrary file read in GNOME NetworkManager 0.9 and earlier allows local users to access protected files through a new connection. NetworkManager and wpa_supplicant accept attacker-chosen certificate and private-key paths, then open those paths with root privileges instead of copying caller-owned file contents. A locally logged-in user permitted to add connections can read files belonging to other users, including root, but the disclosed behavior provides no write access.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.71%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Arbitrary file read in GNOME NetworkManager 0.9 and earlier allows local users to access protected files through a new connection. NetworkManager and wpa_supplicant accept attacker-chosen certificate and private-key paths, then open those paths with root privileges instead of copying caller-owned file contents. A locally logged-in user permitted to add connections can read files belonging to other users, including root, but the disclosed behavior provides no write access.

The record

CVE
CVE-2012-1096
Published
Mar 10, 2020
Updated
Aug 6, 2024
Vendor
GNOME
Product
NetworkManager
Classifications
CWE-295, T1005
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Mar 10, 2020CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 6, 2024Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=0.9 and earlier

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

GNOME · NetworkManagerversion=0.9 and earlier

Published CVSS scores

5.5NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N
4.9NIST NVDAV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:N/A:N

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

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No observations available

Sep 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-295Improper Certificate Validation
T1005Data from Local System

Public exploit references

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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