CVE-2012-4284Public exploit

Root code execution via symlinked helper path

Published Jan 10, 2020 · Updated Aug 6, 2024

Local privilege escalation in SparkLabs Viscosity 1.4.1 for Mac OS X allows local users to execute arbitrary code as root. When ViscosityHelper is invoked through a symlink in an attacker-controlled directory, the Python framework loads site.py from that directory while the helper retains root privileges. A local standard account that can create the symlink and site.py can obtain a root shell; no network access to Viscosity is involved.

CVSS severity9.8
Critical
EPSS probability69.52%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Local privilege escalation in SparkLabs Viscosity 1.4.1 for Mac OS X allows local users to execute arbitrary code as root. When ViscosityHelper is invoked through a symlink in an attacker-controlled directory, the Python framework loads site.py from that directory while the helper retains root privileges. A local standard account that can create the symlink and site.py can obtain a root shell; no network access to Viscosity is involved.

The record

CVE
CVE-2012-4284
Published
Jan 10, 2020
Updated
Aug 6, 2024
Vendor
Unknown vendor
Product
Unknown product
Classifications
T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jan 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?

Affected buildAffected product and version details are unavailable.

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Affected products and versions are unavailable in this record.

Published CVSS scores

9.8NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
10.0NIST NVDAV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C

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 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

T1068Exploitation for Privilege Escalation

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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