ntp: config command can be used to set the pidfile and drift file paths
Published Jul 24, 2017
7.5
HIGHCVSS 3.1
EPSS 3.82%
Description
The "pidfile" or "driftfile" directives in NTP ntpd 4.2.x before 4.2.8p4, and 4.3.x before 4.3.77, when ntpd is configured to allow remote configuration, allows remote attackers with an IP address that is allowed to send configuration requests, and with knowledge of the remote configuration password to write to arbitrary files via the :config command.
Affected products
No data.
Configuration 1
- ≥ 4.2.0 · < 4.2.8
- ≥ 4.3.0 · < 4.3.77
- 4.2.8
- 4.2.8
- 4.2.8
- 4.2.8
- 4.2.8
- 4.2.8
- 4.2.8
- 4.2.8
- 4.2.8
- 4.2.8
- 4.2.8
- 4.2.8
- 4.2.8
- 4.2.8
- 4.2.8
- 4.2.8
- 4.2.8
Configuration 3
- 7.0
- 8.0
- 9.0
Configuration 4
- n/a
- n/a
- n/a
- n/a
Configuration 5
- 6.0
- 7.0
- 6.0
- 7.0
- 7.3
- 7.4
- 7.6
- 7.7
- 7.3
- 7.4
- 7.5
- 7.6
- 7.7
- 7.3
- 7.6
- 7.7
- 6.0
- 7.0
No data.
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6
ntp-0:4.2.6p5-10.el6
Fixed · RHSA-2016:0780
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7
ntp-0:4.2.6p5-25.el7
Fixed · RHSA-2016:2583
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5
ntp
Will not fix
| Product | Package | State | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 | ntp-0:4.2.6p5-10.el6 | Fixed | RHSA-2016:0780 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 | ntp-0:4.2.6p5-25.el7 | Fixed | RHSA-2016:2583 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5 | ntp | Will not fix | n/a |
No package ranges for this CVE.
Remediation
Red Hat mitigation
Disable remote runtime configuration with ntpq or ntpdc. In the default NTP configuration on Red Hat Enterprise Linux, runtime configuration with ntpq or ntpdc is limited to localhost.
Metrics
No CVSS v4.0 score for this CVE.
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N
No CVSS v3.0 score for this CVE.
AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:N/I:P/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 (27 key points)
Flat stretches are collapsed; showing up to 120 newest points.
| Date | Score | Percentile | Model |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 1, 2026 | 3.82% (0.03823) | 89.74th | v5 (v2026.06.15) |
| Jun 15, 2026 | 3.85% (0.03855) | 88.76th | v5 (v2026.06.15) |
| May 27, 2026 | 9.22% (0.09221) | 92.82th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| May 25, 2026 | 10.73% (0.10729) | 93.43th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| May 21, 2026 | 9.22% (0.09221) | 92.81th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| May 18, 2026 | 8.07% (0.08074) | 92.22th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| May 13, 2026 | 9.42% (0.09419) | 92.88th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Jan 25, 2026 | 7.87% (0.07874) | 91.78th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Jan 20, 2026 | 10.02% (0.10018) | 92.84th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Jan 18, 2026 | 7.68% (0.07681) | 91.64th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Dec 28, 2025 | 10.08% (0.10078) | 92.83th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Dec 27, 2025 | 4.95% (0.04949) | 89.35th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Dec 16, 2025 | 10.08% (0.10078) | 92.83th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Dec 14, 2025 | 7.99% (0.07995) | 91.75th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Dec 13, 2025 | 6.65% (0.06655) | 90.85th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Aug 10, 2025 | 4.95% (0.04949) | 89.24th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Mar 30, 2025 | 2.96% (0.02965) | 85.28th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Mar 29, 2025 | 7.58% (0.07581) | 86.13th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Mar 17, 2025 | 2.48% (0.02481) | 84.21th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Mar 11, 2025 | 31.42% (0.31423) | 97.10th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| Dec 17, 2024 | 25.16% (0.25164) | 96.68th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| Oct 28, 2023 | 35.16% (0.35159) | 96.65th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| Jul 4, 2023 | 50.17% (0.50174) | 97.03th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| Mar 7, 2023 | 57.74% (0.57736) | 97.11th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| Mar 6, 2023 | 2.17% (0.02172) | 80.77th | v2 (v2022.01.01) |
| Apr 1, 2022 | 2.17% (0.02172) | 78.91th | v2 (v2022.01.01) |
| Feb 4, 2022 | 2.17% (0.02172) | 57.73th | v2 (v2022.01.01) |
References (13)
- http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2016-0780.html vendor-advisoryx_refsource_REDHATThird Party Advisory
- http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2016-2583.html vendor-advisoryx_refsource_REDHATThird Party Advisory
- http://support.ntp.org/bin/view/Main/NtpBug2902 x_refsource_CONFIRMVendor Advisory
- http://www.debian.org/security/2015/dsa-3388 vendor-advisoryx_refsource_DEBIANThird Party Advisory
- http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/topics/security/linuxbulletinapr2016-2952096.html x_refsource_CONFIRMThird Party Advisory
- http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/77278 vdb-entryx_refsource_BIDThird Party AdvisoryVDB Entry
- http://www.securitytracker.com/id/1033951 vdb-entryx_refsource_SECTRACKThird Party AdvisoryVDB Entry
- https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2015-7703 Vendor Advisory
- https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1254547 x_refsource_CONFIRMIssue TrackingThird Party AdvisoryVDB Entry
- https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2015-7703
- https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/201607-15 vendor-advisoryx_refsource_GENTOOThird Party Advisory
- https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20171004-0001/ x_refsource_CONFIRMThird Party Advisory
- https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2015-7703
Change history (0)
No recorded changes yet.