CVEvulnerability

CVE-2002-0638

6.2 MEDIUM Published 2002-08-12 Modified 2026-06-16 Official page ↗
Status
Modified
Published
2002-08-12
Last modified
2026-06-16
Assigner
[email protected]
CVSS 2.0 ([email protected])
6.2 MEDIUM — AV:L/AC:H/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C

Description

setpwnam.c in the util-linux package, as included in Red Hat Linux 7.3 and earlier, and other operating systems, does not properly lock a temporary file when modifying /etc/passwd, which may allow local users to gain privileges via a complex race condition that uses an open file descriptor in utility programs such as chfn and chsh.

Affected configurations

• mandrakesoft mandrake single network firewall 7.2 • hp secure os 1.0 • mandrakesoft mandrake linux 7.0 • mandrakesoft mandrake linux 7.1 • mandrakesoft mandrake linux 7.2 • mandrakesoft mandrake linux 8.0 • mandrakesoft mandrake linux 8.1 • mandrakesoft mandrake linux 8.2 • mandrakesoft mandrake linux corporate server 1.0.1 • redhat linux 6.0 • redhat linux 6.1 • redhat linux 6.2 • redhat linux 7.0 • redhat linux 7.1 • redhat linux 7.2 • redhat linux 7.3

Related

Referenced by CWE · observed example (1)

  • CWE-403 Exposure of File Descriptor to Unintended Control Sphere weakness

References