sudo: unsafe handling of TZ environment variable
Published Apr 24, 2017
3.3
LOWCVSS 3.0
EPSS 0.47%
Description
sudo before 1.8.12 does not ensure that the TZ environment variable is associated with a zoneinfo file, which allows local users to open arbitrary files for read access (but not view file contents) by running a program within an sudo session, as demonstrated by interfering with terminal output, discarding kernel-log messages, or repositioning tape drives.
Affected products
No data.
- ≤ 1.8.11
No data.
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6
sudo-0:1.8.6p3-19.el6
Fixed · RHSA-2015:1409
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7
sudo-0:1.8.6p7-16.el7
Fixed · RHBA-2015:2424
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 4
sudo
Will not fix
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5
sudo
Will not fix
| Product | Package | State | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 | sudo-0:1.8.6p3-19.el6 | Fixed | RHSA-2015:1409 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 | sudo-0:1.8.6p7-16.el7 | Fixed | RHBA-2015:2424 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 4 | sudo | Will not fix | n/a |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5 | sudo | Will not fix | n/a |
No package ranges for this CVE.
Remediation
Red Hat statement
This issue did not affect the default sudo configuration in Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5, 6, and 7.
Metrics
No CVSS v4.0 score for this CVE.
No CVSS v3.1 score for this CVE.
CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N
AV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:N/A:N
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 (9 key points)
Flat stretches are collapsed; showing up to 120 newest points.
| Date | Score | Percentile | Model |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 1, 2026 | 0.47% (0.00470) | 38.35th | v5 (v2026.06.15) |
| Jun 15, 2026 | 0.47% (0.00470) | 36.80th | v5 (v2026.06.15) |
| Mar 17, 2025 | 0.76% (0.00760) | 71.60th | 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 | 1.67% (0.01669) | 76.02th | v2 (v2022.01.01) |
| Feb 23, 2023 | 1.67% (0.01669) | 75.98th | v2 (v2022.01.01) |
| Apr 1, 2022 | 1.67% (0.01669) | 73.93th | v2 (v2022.01.01) |
| Feb 4, 2022 | 1.67% (0.01669) | 53.27th | v2 (v2022.01.01) |
References (9)
- http://openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2014/10/15/24 mailing-listx_refsource_MLISTExploitMailing ListThird Party Advisory
- http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2015-1409.html vendor-advisoryx_refsource_REDHAT
- http://www.securitytracker.com/id/1033158 vdb-entryx_refsource_SECTRACK
- http://www.sudo.ws/alerts/tz.html x_refsource_CONFIRMVendor Advisory
- https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2014-9680 Vendor Advisory
- https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1191144 Issue Tracking
- https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2014-9680
- https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/201504-02 vendor-advisoryx_refsource_GENTOO
- https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2014-9680
| Link | Providers | Tags |
|---|---|---|
| http://openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2014/10/15/24 | mailing-listx_refsource_MLISTExploitMailing ListThird Party Advisory | |
| http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2015-1409.html | vendor-advisoryx_refsource_REDHAT | |
| http://www.securitytracker.com/id/1033158 | vdb-entryx_refsource_SECTRACK | |
| http://www.sudo.ws/alerts/tz.html | x_refsource_CONFIRMVendor Advisory | |
| https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2014-9680 | Vendor Advisory | |
| https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1191144 | Issue Tracking | |
| https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2014-9680 | ||
| https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/201504-02 | vendor-advisoryx_refsource_GENTOO | |
| https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2014-9680 |
Change history (0)
No recorded changes yet.