CVE-2024-54661

Local file overwrite via predictable stderr path

Published Dec 4, 2024 · Updated Jan 9, 2025

Symlink following in socat before 1.8.0.2 allows local users to overwrite files via the readline.sh example script. The script redirects standard error to predictable /tmp/$USER/stderr2 after creating only the parent directory, so a preplaced symbolic link makes the shell truncate the link target when the wrapper runs. Exploitation requires local access to create the link and a victim to run the example with permission to write the targeted file; the socat executable itself is not affected.

CVSS severity5.3
Medium
EPSS probability0.80%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Symlink following in socat before 1.8.0.2 allows local users to overwrite files via the readline.sh example script. The script redirects standard error to predictable /tmp/$USER/stderr2 after creating only the parent directory, so a preplaced symbolic link makes the shell truncate the link target when the wrapper runs. Exploitation requires local access to create the link and a victim to run the example with permission to write the targeted file; the socat executable itself is not affected.

The record

CVE
CVE-2024-54661
Published
Dec 4, 2024
Updated
Jan 9, 2025
Vendor
socat
Product
socat
Classifications
CWE-61
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Dec 4, 2024CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Jan 9, 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 <=1.8.0.1
  2. Affected versionversion=1.6.0.0 <1.8.0.2
  3. Affected versionversion=2.0.0-b1 <=2.0.0-b9

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

socat · socatversion=0 <=1.8.0.1; version=1.6.0.0 <1.8.0.2; version=2.0.0-b1 <=2.0.0-b9

Published CVSS scores

5.3Oracle LinuxCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L
9.8CISA-ADPCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/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.

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-61UNIX Symbolic Link (Symlink) Following

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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