CVE-2019-3842

Advisory lineage Upstream: 0 Downstream: 11
Modified
Published: 09 Apr 2019, 20:25
Last modified:09 Jun 2025, 15:47

Vulnerability Summary

Overall Risk (default)
medium
38/100
CVSS Score
7 HIGH
v3.1 (nvd)
EPSS Score
0.1% LOW
0% probability 0.00%
KEV
Not listed
Ransomware
No reports
Public exploits
2 found
Dark Web
Not detected

Timeline

09 Apr 2019, 20:25
Published
Vulnerability first disclosed
09 Jun 2025, 15:47
Last Modified
Vulnerability information updated

Description

In systemd before v242-rc4, it was discovered that pam_systemd does not properly sanitize the environment before using the XDG_SEAT variable. It is possible for an attacker, in some particular configurations, to set a XDG_SEAT environment variable which allows for commands to be checked against polkit policies using the "allow_active" element rather than "allow_any".

CVSS Metrics

  • v3.1•HIGH•Score: 7CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
  • v3.0•MEDIUM•Score: 4.5CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L
  • v2.0•MEDIUM•Score: 4.4AV:L/AC:M/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P

EPSS Trends

Current EPSS score: 0.10%• Percentile: 27%

Techniques & Countermeasures

  • CWE-285•Improper Authorization

    The product does not perform or incorrectly performs an authorization check when an actor attempts to access a resource or perform an action.

  • CWE-863•Incorrect Authorization

    The product performs an authorization check when an actor attempts to access a resource or perform an action, but it does not correctly perform the check.

Affected Systems

  • debian•debian_linux

    8.0

  • fedoraproject•fedora

    30

  • redhat•enterprise_linux

    7.0

  • systemd_project•systemd

    ≤ 241 | 242:rc1 | 242:rc2 | 242:rc3

  • the systemd project•systemd

    v242-rc4

References (8)