CVE-2024-48991

Root code execution via interpreter TOCTOU race

Published Nov 19, 2024 · Updated Nov 3, 2025

Race condition in needrestart before 3.8 allows local users to execute arbitrary code as root through interpreter scanning. The main loop validates one /proc/PID/exe path, but the Python scanner later executes an earlier path after an attacker swaps the process image. Local users must win this TOCTOU race while needrestart scans user processes, after which the substituted program runs with root privileges.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability6.07%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Race condition in needrestart before 3.8 allows local users to execute arbitrary code as root through interpreter scanning. The main loop validates one /proc/PID/exe path, but the Python scanner later executes an earlier path after an attacker swaps the process image. Local users must win this TOCTOU race while needrestart scans user processes, after which the substituted program runs with root privileges.

The record

CVE
CVE-2024-48991
Published
Nov 19, 2024
Updated
Nov 3, 2025
Vendor
NeedRestart Project
Product
needrestart
Classifications
CWE-362, T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Nov 19, 2024CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Nov 3, 2025Record 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 <3.8

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

NeedRestart Project · needrestartversion=0 <3.8
Thomas Liske · needrestartversion=0 <3.8

Published CVSS scores

7.8Canonical Ltd.CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/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.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

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

CWE-362Concurrent Execution using Shared Resource with Improper Synchronization ('Race Condition')
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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