Local privilege escalation via PID-file symlink chown
Published Aug 11, 2026 · Updated Aug 11, 2026
Symlink following in MRTG on Red Hat Enterprise Linux allows local users to gain privileges through an attacker-controlled PID-file path. The daemon startup logic in bin/mrtg.socket6 and bin/mrtg creates and chowns the PID file as root before dropping privileges, following a preplaced symlink to an arbitrary existing file. Exploitation requires root-started daemon mode plus control of the PID path, and transfers file ownership to the daemon account for reading or modification.
Summary
What happened
Symlink following in MRTG on Red Hat Enterprise Linux allows local users to gain privileges through an attacker-controlled PID-file path. The daemon startup logic in bin/mrtg.socket6 and bin/mrtg creates and chowns the PID file as root before dropping privileges, following a preplaced symlink to an arbitrary existing file. Exploitation requires root-started daemon mode plus control of the PID path, and transfers file ownership to the daemon account for reading or modification.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-72694
- Published
- Aug 11, 2026
- Updated
- Aug 11, 2026
- Vendor
- 389 Directory Server
- Product
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10
- Classifications
- CWE-59, T1068
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Aug 11, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Aug 11, 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?
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
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Attacks
What attackers are doing with it
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Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
- Red Hat Bugzilla reproduction stepsproof of concept · demonstrated
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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