CVE-2025-4802Public exploit

Privilege escalation via unsanitized LD_LIBRARY_PATH lookup

Published May 16, 2025 · Updated Feb 26, 2026

Untrusted library search in GNU Project glibc 2.27 through 2.38 allows local users to execute code through a static setuid program. The static loader honors attacker-controlled LD_LIBRARY_PATH when dlopen, setlocale, or NSS calls resolve a shared-object name. Exploitation requires a statically linked setuid or setgid program that reaches such a load; upstream had identified no installed program meeting that condition.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.56%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Untrusted library search in GNU Project glibc 2.27 through 2.38 allows local users to execute code through a static setuid program. The static loader honors attacker-controlled LD_LIBRARY_PATH when dlopen, setlocale, or NSS calls resolve a shared-object name. Exploitation requires a statically linked setuid or setgid program that reaches such a load; upstream had identified no installed program meeting that condition.

The record

CVE
CVE-2025-4802
Published
May 16, 2025
Updated
Feb 26, 2026
Vendor
The GnuPG Project
Product
glibc
Classifications
CWE-426, T1574.006
Attack vector
local
Privileges
Unavailable

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. May 16, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Feb 26, 2026Record 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=2.27 <2.39

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesUnavailable in this record.

What is affected?

The GnuPG Project · glibcversion=2.27 <2.39

Published CVSS scores

7.8CISA-ADPCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/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 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
PrivilegesUnavailable
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-426Untrusted Search Path
T1574.006Dynamic Linker Hijacking

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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