HIGH
exim: local root privilege escalation for configurations with perl_startup
Published Apr 7, 2016
7.0
HIGHCVSS 3.0
EPSS 6.27%
Description
Exim before 4.86.2, when installed setuid root, allows local users to gain privileges via the perl_startup argument.
Affected products
Remediation
Red Hat statement
This issue affects the version of exim as shipped with Red Hat Enterprise Linux 4 and 5. However, the default configurations are not affected, as they do not use 'perl_startup' directive. Red Hat Enterprise Linux 4 is now in Extended Life Cycle phase of the support and maintenance life cycle, and Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5 is now in Production 3 Phase of the support and maintenance life cycle. This issue is not currently planned to be addressed in future updates. For additional information, refer to the Red Hat Enterprise Linux Life Cycle: https://access.redhat.com/support/policy/updates/errata/.
Metrics
No CVSS v4.0 score for this CVE.
No CVSS v3.1 score for this CVE.
7.0 HIGH NVD
CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Attack Vector Local
Attack Complexity High
Privileges Required Low
User Interaction None
Scope Unchanged
Confidentiality Impact High
Integrity Impact High
Availability Impact High
6.9 MEDIUM NVD
AV:L/AC:M/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C
Access Vector Local
Access Complexity Medium
Authentication None
Confidentiality Impact Complete
Integrity Impact Complete
Availability Impact Complete
This CVE is not in the KEV list.
No CISA SSVC assessment for this CVE yet.
6.27% 0.06271
Estimated probability of exploitation in the wild in the next 30 days (FIRST EPSS). As of Oct 1, 2026.
EPSS probability 0.06271
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 (54 key points)
Flat stretches are collapsed; showing up to 120 newest points.
| Date | Score | Percentile | Model |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 1, 2026 | 6.27% (0.06271) | 93.36th | v5 (v2026.06.15) |
| Jun 15, 2026 | 5.90% (0.05901) | 92.26th | v5 (v2026.06.15) |
| Mar 25, 2026 | 56.77% (0.56770) | 98.11th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Mar 5, 2026 | 54.26% (0.54256) | 97.97th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Mar 4, 2026 | 52.95% (0.52948) | 97.90th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Mar 1, 2026 | 41.49% (0.41490) | 97.35th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Feb 4, 2026 | 52.95% (0.52948) | 97.87th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Feb 1, 2026 | 41.49% (0.41490) | 97.32th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Jan 4, 2026 | 52.95% (0.52948) | 97.84th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Jan 1, 2026 | 41.49% (0.41490) | 97.30th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Dec 28, 2025 | 52.95% (0.52948) | 97.84th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Dec 27, 2025 | 67.65% (0.67649) | 98.52th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Dec 4, 2025 | 52.95% (0.52948) | 97.82th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Dec 1, 2025 | 41.49% (0.41490) | 97.27th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Nov 4, 2025 | 52.95% (0.52948) | 97.82th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Nov 1, 2025 | 41.49% (0.41490) | 97.26th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Oct 28, 2025 | 52.95% (0.52948) | 97.81th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Oct 27, 2025 | 67.65% (0.67649) | 98.51th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Oct 4, 2025 | 52.95% (0.52948) | 97.87th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Oct 1, 2025 | 41.49% (0.41490) | 97.33th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Sep 7, 2025 | 67.65% (0.67649) | 98.52th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Sep 1, 2025 | 57.86% (0.57858) | 98.12th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Aug 4, 2025 | 67.65% (0.67649) | 98.50th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Aug 1, 2025 | 57.86% (0.57858) | 98.09th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Jul 30, 2025 | 67.65% (0.67649) | 98.50th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Jul 13, 2025 | 52.95% (0.52948) | 97.81th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Jul 4, 2025 | 41.34% (0.41342) | 97.24th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Jul 1, 2025 | 35.61% (0.35611) | 96.91th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Jun 4, 2025 | 41.55% (0.41548) | 97.23th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Jun 1, 2025 | 35.81% (0.35810) | 96.90th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| May 23, 2025 | 41.55% (0.41548) | 97.23th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| May 5, 2025 | 39.80% (0.39802) | 97.10th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| May 1, 2025 | 34.13% (0.34131) | 96.74th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Apr 25, 2025 | 39.80% (0.39802) | 97.09th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Apr 18, 2025 | 37.46% (0.37460) | 96.93th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Apr 17, 2025 | 31.90% (0.31903) | 96.49th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Apr 8, 2025 | 37.46% (0.37460) | 96.89th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Apr 7, 2025 | 31.90% (0.31903) | 96.44th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Apr 4, 2025 | 37.46% (0.37460) | 96.89th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Apr 3, 2025 | 31.90% (0.31903) | 96.43th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Mar 29, 2025 | 38.27% (0.38272) | 95.80th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Mar 28, 2025 | 31.90% (0.31903) | 96.43th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Mar 23, 2025 | 38.27% (0.38272) | 96.79th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Mar 22, 2025 | 31.87% (0.31870) | 96.45th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Mar 21, 2025 | 38.27% (0.38272) | 96.95th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Mar 20, 2025 | 41.79% (0.41789) | 97.17th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Mar 19, 2025 | 27.15% (0.27146) | 95.77th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Mar 17, 2025 | 13.85% (0.13852) | 93.77th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Dec 12, 2024 | 0.06% (0.00057) | 25.80th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| Jun 7, 2024 | 0.06% (0.00057) | 23.61th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| Mar 7, 2023 | 0.06% (0.00057) | 21.58th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| Mar 6, 2023 | 2.32% (0.02320) | 81.41th | v2 (v2022.01.01) |
| Apr 1, 2022 | 2.32% (0.02320) | 79.65th | v2 (v2022.01.01) |
| Feb 4, 2022 | 2.32% (0.02320) | 58.29th | v2 (v2022.01.01) |
References (15)
- http://exim.org/static/doc/CVE-2016-1531.txt
- http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2016-03/msg00026.html vendor-advisoryx_refsource_SUSE
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/136124/Exim-4.84-3-Local-Root-Privilege-Escalation.html x_refsource_MISCExploit
- http://www.debian.org/security/2016/dsa-3517 vendor-advisoryx_refsource_DEBIAN
- http://www.exim.org/static/doc/CVE-2016-1531.txt x_refsource_CONFIRMThird Party AdvisoryUS Government Resource
- http://www.rapid7.com/db/modules/exploit/unix/local/exim_perl_startup x_refsource_MISC
- http://www.securitytracker.com/id/1035512 vdb-entryx_refsource_SECTRACK
- http://www.ubuntu.com/usn/USN-2933-1 vendor-advisoryx_refsource_UBUNTU
- https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2016-1531 Vendor Advisory
- https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1314293 Issue Tracking
- https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2016-1531
- https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2016-1531
- https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/39535/ exploitx_refsource_EXPLOIT-DB
- https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/39549/ exploitx_refsource_EXPLOIT-DB
- https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/39702/ exploitx_refsource_EXPLOIT-DB
Change history (0)
No recorded changes yet.
Sources
CVE.org / MITRE
Status PUBLISHED
Assigner certcc
Published Apr 7, 2016
Updated Aug 5, 2024
Reserved Jan 7, 2016
Link CVE-2016-1531
CISA Vulnrichment
Updated n/a