CVE-2019-14868Public exploit

Command execution via imported arithmetic expressions

Published Apr 2, 2020 · Updated Aug 5, 2024

Command injection in KornShell 20120801 allows local users to execute arbitrary shell commands through crafted environment variables. During startup, sh_strnum passes nonliteral imported numeric values to strval, which evaluates arbitrary arithmetic expressions such as command substitutions in SHLVL. Remote exploitation requires a service or application that passes attacker-controlled numeric environment variables into a new KornShell process.

CVSS severity7.4
High
EPSS probability1.39%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Command injection in KornShell 20120801 allows local users to execute arbitrary shell commands through crafted environment variables. During startup, sh_strnum passes nonliteral imported numeric values to strval, which evaluates arbitrary arithmetic expressions such as command substitutions in SHLVL. Remote exploitation requires a service or application that passes attacker-controlled numeric environment variables into a new KornShell process.

The record

CVE
CVE-2019-14868
Published
Apr 2, 2020
Updated
Aug 5, 2024
Vendor
KornShell
Product
KornShell
Classifications
CWE-77, T1059.004
Attack vector
local
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Apr 2, 2020CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 5, 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=20120801

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

KornShell · KornShellversion=20120801

Published CVSS scores

7.8NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
7.2NIST NVDAV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C
7.4Red Hat, Inc.CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

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
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-77Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in a Command ('Command Injection')
T1059.004Command and Scripting Interpreter: Unix Shell

Public exploit references

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Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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