CVE-2015-3159

Root escalation via unsafe umask and arguments

Published Jan 14, 2020 · Updated Aug 6, 2024

Privilege escalation in ABRT before 9a4100678fea4d60ec93d35f4c5de2e9ad054f3a allows local users to gain root through its SUID cache helper. The helper inherits an unsafe umask and accepts abbreviated options that can direct its privileged child to create user-writable problem directories. A local account must invoke the helper; successful exploitation permits root-level control of the host.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.39%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Privilege escalation in ABRT before 9a4100678fea4d60ec93d35f4c5de2e9ad054f3a allows local users to gain root through its SUID cache helper. The helper inherits an unsafe umask and accepts abbreviated options that can direct its privileged child to create user-writable problem directories. A local account must invoke the helper; successful exploitation permits root-level control of the host.

The record

CVE
CVE-2015-3159
Published
Jan 14, 2020
Updated
Aug 6, 2024
Vendor
ABRT Project
Product
ABRT
Classifications
T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jan 14, 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=before 9a4100678fea4d60ec93d35f4c5de2e9ad054f3a

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

ABRT Project · ABRTversion=before 9a4100678fea4d60ec93d35f4c5de2e9ad054f3a

Published CVSS scores

7.8NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
7.2NVDAV:L/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 exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

T1068Exploitation for Privilege Escalation

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

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Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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