The _rtld function in the Run-Time Link-Editor (rtld) in libexec/rtld-elf/rtld.c in FreeBSD 7.1, 7.2, and 8.0 does not clear the LD_PRELOAD environment variable, which allows local users to gain privileges by executing a setuid or setguid program with a modified LD_PRELOAD variable containing an untrusted search path that points to a Trojan horse library, a different vector than CVE-2009-4147
Published Dec 2, 2009
7.2
HIGHCVSS 2.0
EPSS 3.90%
Description
The _rtld function in the Run-Time Link-Editor (rtld) in libexec/rtld-elf/rtld.c in FreeBSD 7.1, 7.2, and 8.0 does not clear the LD_PRELOAD environment variable, which allows local users to gain privileges by executing a setuid or setguid program with a modified LD_PRELOAD variable containing an untrusted search path that points to a Trojan horse library, a different vector than CVE-2009-4147.
Affected products
Remediation
No remediation recorded yet.
Metrics
No CVSS v4.0 score for this CVE.
No CVSS v3.1 score for this CVE.
No CVSS v3.0 score for this CVE.
AV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C
This CVE is not in the KEV list.
No CISA SSVC assessment for this CVE yet.
Estimated probability of exploitation in the wild in the next 30 days (FIRST EPSS). As of Oct 1, 2026.
Score over time
2022–2026- EPSS v2
- EPSS v3
- EPSS v4
- EPSS v5
Percentile over time
- EPSS v2
- EPSS v3
- EPSS v4
- EPSS v5
Table of values (14 key points)
Flat stretches are collapsed; showing up to 120 newest points.
| Date | Score | Percentile | Model |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 1, 2026 | 3.90% (0.03903) | 89.94th | v5 (v2026.06.15) |
| Jun 15, 2026 | 3.90% (0.03903) | 88.88th | v5 (v2026.06.15) |
| Sep 25, 2025 | 18.17% (0.18170) | 94.97th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Jul 19, 2025 | 20.40% (0.20399) | 95.26th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| May 4, 2025 | 19.25% (0.19253) | 95.00th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Mar 30, 2025 | 17.98% (0.17980) | 94.64th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Mar 29, 2025 | 19.72% (0.19720) | 92.55th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Mar 17, 2025 | 17.98% (0.17980) | 94.66th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Dec 12, 2024 | 0.04% (0.00042) | 5.07th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| Mar 7, 2023 | 0.04% (0.00042) | 5.63th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| Mar 6, 2023 | 1.10% (0.01104) | 54.09th | v2 (v2022.01.01) |
| Sep 17, 2022 | 1.10% (0.01104) | 52.45th | v2 (v2022.01.01) |
| Apr 1, 2022 | 1.10% (0.01104) | 50.41th | v2 (v2022.01.01) |
| Feb 4, 2022 | 1.10% (0.01104) | 28.85th | v2 (v2022.01.01) |
References (8)
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/152997/FreeBSD-rtld-execl-Privilege-Escalation.html x_refsource_MISC
- http://people.freebsd.org/~cperciva/rtld.patch x_refsource_CONFIRMExploit
- http://secunia.com/advisories/37517 third-party-advisoryx_refsource_SECUNIAVendor Advisory
- http://www.securityfocus.com/archive/1/508142/100/0/threaded mailing-listx_refsource_BUGTRAQ
- http://www.securityfocus.com/archive/1/508146/100/0/threaded mailing-listx_refsource_BUGTRAQ
- http://www.securityfocus.com/archive/1/508168/100/0/threaded mailing-listx_refsource_BUGTRAQ
- http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/37154 vdb-entryx_refsource_BIDExploit
- http://www.securitytracker.com/id?1023250 vdb-entryx_refsource_SECTRACK
| Link | Providers | Tags |
|---|---|---|
| http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/152997/FreeBSD-rtld-execl-Privilege-Escalation.html | x_refsource_MISC | |
| http://people.freebsd.org/~cperciva/rtld.patch | x_refsource_CONFIRMExploit | |
| http://secunia.com/advisories/37517 | third-party-advisoryx_refsource_SECUNIAVendor Advisory | |
| http://www.securityfocus.com/archive/1/508142/100/0/threaded | mailing-listx_refsource_BUGTRAQ | |
| http://www.securityfocus.com/archive/1/508146/100/0/threaded | mailing-listx_refsource_BUGTRAQ | |
| http://www.securityfocus.com/archive/1/508168/100/0/threaded | mailing-listx_refsource_BUGTRAQ | |
| http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/37154 | vdb-entryx_refsource_BIDExploit | |
| http://www.securitytracker.com/id?1023250 | vdb-entryx_refsource_SECTRACK |
Change history (0)
No recorded changes yet.