util-linux: Sending SIGKILL to other processes with root privileges via su
Published Jul 27, 2018
5.5
MEDIUMCVSS 3.0
EPSS 0.28%
Description
A race condition was found in util-linux before 2.32.1 in the way su handled the management of child processes. A local authenticated attacker could use this flaw to kill other processes with root privileges under specific conditions.
Affected products
-
- Version 2.32.1StatusaffectedConstraints-
- Version
Default status is the baseline for the product, each version can override it (e.g. patched versions marked unaffected).
| Vendor | Product | Default status | Versions | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | Util-Linux | n/a |
|
Configuration 1
- < 2.32.1
Configuration 2
- 8.0
- 6.0
- 7.0
- 6.0
- 7.0
- 7.3
- 7.4
- 7.3
- 7.4
- 7.5
- 6.0
- 7.0
No data.
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6
coreutils-0:8.4-46.el6
Fixed · RHSA-2017:0654
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7
util-linux-0:2.23.2-33.el7_3.2
Fixed · RHSA-2017:0907
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5
coreutils
Will not fix
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5
shadow-utils
Not affected
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5
util-linux
Not affected
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6
shadow-utils
Not affected
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6
util-linux-ng
Not affected
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7
coreutils
Not affected
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7
shadow-utils
Not affected
| Product | Package | State | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 | coreutils-0:8.4-46.el6 | Fixed | RHSA-2017:0654 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 | util-linux-0:2.23.2-33.el7_3.2 | Fixed | RHSA-2017:0907 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5 | coreutils | Will not fix | n/a |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5 | shadow-utils | Not affected | n/a |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5 | util-linux | Not affected | n/a |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 | shadow-utils | Not affected | n/a |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 | util-linux-ng | Not affected | n/a |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 | coreutils | Not affected | n/a |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 | shadow-utils | Not affected | 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:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
1 other source (Red Hat) ▾
CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
AV:L/AC:M/Au:N/C:N/I:N/A:C
This CVE is not in the KEV list.
CISA SSVC (Vulnrichment)
Stakeholder-Specific Vulnerability Categorization from CISA ADP.
Exploitation
NoneAutomatable
NoTechnical Impact
PartialDecision
n/aAssessed Jun 9, 2025 · SSVC 2.0.3
Estimated probability of exploitation in the wild in the next 30 days (FIRST EPSS). As of Oct 1, 2026.
Score over time
2021–2026- EPSS v1
- EPSS v5
- EPSS v2
- EPSS v3
Percentile over time
- EPSS v1
- EPSS v5
- EPSS v2
- EPSS v3
Table of values (8 key points)
Flat stretches are collapsed; showing up to 120 newest points.
| Date | Score | Percentile | Model |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 1, 2026 | 0.28% (0.00279) | 18.42th | v5 (v2026.06.15) |
| Sep 20, 2026 | 0.28% (0.00279) | 20.67th | v5 (v2026.06.15) |
| Jul 20, 2024 | 0.04% (0.00042) | 5.06th | 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) |
| Feb 4, 2022 | 1.10% (0.01104) | 28.85th | v2 (v2022.01.01) |
| Feb 3, 2022 | 1.00% (0.00999) | 27.22th | v5 (v2026.06.15) |
| Apr 14, 2021 | 1.00% (0.00999) | 0.00th | v1 |
References (12)
- http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2017-0654.html vendor-advisoryx_refsource_REDHATThird Party Advisory
- http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/96404 vdb-entryx_refsource_BIDThird Party AdvisoryVDB Entry
- http://www.securitytracker.com/id/1038271 vdb-entryx_refsource_SECTRACKThird Party AdvisoryVDB Entry
- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2017:0907 vendor-advisoryx_refsource_REDHATThird Party Advisory
- https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2017-2616 Vendor Advisory
- https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1418710 Issue Tracking
- https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=CVE-2017-2616 x_refsource_CONFIRMIssue TrackingPatchThird Party Advisory
- https://github.com/karelzak/util-linux/commit/dffab154d29a288aa171ff50263ecc8f2e14a891 x_refsource_CONFIRMPatchThird Party Advisory
- https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2017-2616
- https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/201706-02 vendor-advisoryx_refsource_GENTOOThird Party Advisory
- https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2017-2616
- https://www.debian.org/security/2017/dsa-3793 vendor-advisoryx_refsource_DEBIANThird Party Advisory
Change history (0)
No recorded changes yet.