Local root escalation via symlink path races
Published Aug 13, 2025 · Updated Feb 26, 2026
Path traversal in linux-pam's pam_namespace module on affected Red Hat products allows local users to gain root privileges. During polyinstantiation, the module accesses user-controlled paths without safely excluding symlink substitutions or race-driven path changes. Exploitation requires pam_namespace to operate on a polyinstantiated or instance-directory path that an unprivileged user can create or manipulate.
Summary
What happened
Path traversal in linux-pam's pam_namespace module on affected Red Hat products allows local users to gain root privileges. During polyinstantiation, the module accesses user-controlled paths without safely excluding symlink substitutions or race-driven path changes. Exploitation requires pam_namespace to operate on a polyinstantiated or instance-directory path that an unprivileged user can create or manipulate.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2025-8941
- Published
- Aug 13, 2025
- Updated
- Feb 26, 2026
- Vendor
- 389 Directory Server
- Product
- cert-manager Operator for Red Hat OpenShift
- Classifications
- CWE-22, T1068
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Aug 13, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Feb 26, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.
Exploitability
Present is not the same as exploitable
Compare your product and version with the public record. A matching version still requires validation against your environment.
Is a vulnerable build present?
Affected versions are unavailable in this record. Check the vendor advisory for version and patch details.
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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.
Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
No public exploit references are available in this record.
Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.
Technologies
Your stack
See the directory against your own environment.
Your stack
Check the software in your environment
Book a demo to see how Hinoki identifies affected software and validates exploitability in your environment.
Book a demo