pam: DoS/user enumeration due to blocking pipe in pam_unix module
Published Aug 24, 2015
6.5
MEDIUMCVSS 3.0
EPSS 2.71%
Description
The _unix_run_helper_binary function in the pam_unix module in Linux-PAM (aka pam) before 1.2.1, when unable to directly access passwords, allows local users to enumerate usernames or cause a denial of service (hang) via a large password.
Affected products
No data.
Configuration 2
- ≤ 1121
No data.
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6
pam-0:1.1.1-20.el6_7.1
Fixed · RHSA-2015:1640
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7
pam-0:1.1.8-12.ael7b_1.1
Fixed · RHSA-2015:1640
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5
pam
Will not fix
| Product | Package | State | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 | pam-0:1.1.1-20.el6_7.1 | Fixed | RHSA-2015:1640 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 | pam-0:1.1.8-12.ael7b_1.1 | Fixed | RHSA-2015:1640 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5 | pam | Will not fix | n/a |
No package ranges for this CVE.
Remediation
No remediation recorded yet.
Metrics
No CVSS v4.0 score for this CVE.
No CVSS v3.1 score for this CVE.
CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:L
AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:P/I:N/A:P
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 (15 key points)
Flat stretches are collapsed; showing up to 120 newest points.
| Date | Score | Percentile | Model |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 1, 2026 | 2.71% (0.02705) | 85.43th | v5 (v2026.06.15) |
| Jun 15, 2026 | 2.71% (0.02705) | 83.95th | v5 (v2026.06.15) |
| Feb 19, 2026 | 3.61% (0.03610) | 87.53th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Dec 2, 2025 | 2.45% (0.02446) | 84.76th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Jun 14, 2025 | 3.61% (0.03610) | 87.24th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Mar 30, 2025 | 2.45% (0.02446) | 83.76th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Mar 29, 2025 | 6.47% (0.06472) | 84.71th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Mar 17, 2025 | 2.45% (0.02446) | 84.09th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Dec 12, 2024 | 0.49% (0.00487) | 76.82th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| Jun 13, 2024 | 0.62% (0.00617) | 78.86th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| Feb 21, 2024 | 0.87% (0.00873) | 81.91th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| Mar 7, 2023 | 0.87% (0.00873) | 79.91th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| Mar 6, 2023 | 2.69% (0.02686) | 82.85th | v2 (v2022.01.01) |
| Apr 1, 2022 | 2.69% (0.02686) | 81.17th | v2 (v2022.01.01) |
| Feb 4, 2022 | 2.69% (0.02686) | 62.66th | v2 (v2022.01.01) |
References (16)
- http://lists.fedoraproject.org/pipermail/package-announce/2015-July/161350.html vendor-advisoryx_refsource_FEDORA
- http://lists.fedoraproject.org/pipermail/package-announce/2015-June/161249.html vendor-advisoryx_refsource_FEDORA
- http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2015-1640.html vendor-advisoryx_refsource_REDHATVendor Advisory
- http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2015/06/25/13 mailing-listx_refsource_MLIST
- http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/security-advisory/cpuapr2016v3-2985753.html x_refsource_CONFIRM
- http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/75428 vdb-entryx_refsource_BID
- http://www.ubuntu.com/usn/USN-2935-1 vendor-advisoryx_refsource_UBUNTU
- http://www.ubuntu.com/usn/USN-2935-2 vendor-advisoryx_refsource_UBUNTU
- http://www.ubuntu.com/usn/USN-2935-3 vendor-advisoryx_refsource_UBUNTU
- https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2015-3238 Vendor Advisory
- https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1228571 x_refsource_CONFIRMIssue Tracking
- https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2015-3238
- https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/201605-05 vendor-advisoryx_refsource_GENTOO
- https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2015-3238
- https://www.trustwave.com/Resources/Security-Advisories/Advisories/TWSL2015-011/?fid=6551 x_refsource_MISCExploit
- https://www.trustwave.com/Resources/SpiderLabs-Blog/Username-Enumeration-against-OpenSSH-SELinux-with-CVE-2015-3238/ x_refsource_MISCExploit
Change history (0)
No recorded changes yet.