CVE-2012-1101

Login denial via retained failed-load units

Published Mar 11, 2020 · Updated Aug 6, 2024

Denial of service in systemd 37-1 allows local users to prevent logins by repeatedly querying nonexistent service units. The manager retains a failed-load unit entry whenever systemctl status requests an unknown service instead of garbage-collecting that unit. Any local account can fill the finite unit list without additional privileges, after which new login sessions fail.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.40%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Denial of service in systemd 37-1 allows local users to prevent logins by repeatedly querying nonexistent service units. The manager retains a failed-load unit entry whenever systemctl status requests an unknown service instead of garbage-collecting that unit. Any local account can fill the finite unit list without additional privileges, after which new login sessions fail.

The record

CVE
CVE-2012-1101
Published
Mar 11, 2020
Updated
Aug 6, 2024
Vendor
systemd
Product
systemd
Classifications
T1499.004
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Mar 11, 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?

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  1. Affected versionversion=37-1

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

systemd · systemdversion=37-1

Published CVSS scores

5.5NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
2.1NVDAV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:N/I:N/A:P

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 exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

T1499.004Application or System Exploitation

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

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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