CVE-2017-15357
The setpermissions function in the auto-updater in Arq before 5.9.7 for Mac allows local users to gain root privileges via a symlink attack on the updater binary itself.
Does this matter?
A public exploit is published in Exploit-DB (verified) and the impact is high, while EPSS rates exploitation at 1.2%. Anyone can run this; patch or mitigate before the next change window and check exposed instances for signs of use.
Description
The setpermissions function in the auto-updater in Arq before 5.9.7 for Mac allows local users to gain root privileges via a symlink attack on the updater binary itself.
- CVSS 3.0
- 7.4 HIGHCVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
- EPSS
- 1.16% probability · 67th percentile
- Public exploits
- 1 in Exploit-DB · verified · first 6 December 2017
- CISA KEV
- Not listed
- Weakness
- CWE-59, CWE-362
- Affected
- arqbackup/arq
- Source
- cve@mitre.org
EPSS 1.2% since 27 October 2026; no change recorded yet. Points are recorded when the score first appears and whenever it moves by a percentage point or more.
Public exploits (1)
Entries in Exploit-DB that cite this CVE. Links go to the Exploit-DB page and to the file in the public repository; nothing is hosted here. A verified tick means the Exploit-DB team confirmed the exploit works against the stated version.
References
- https://m4.rkw.io/blog/cve201715357-local-root-privesc-in-arq-backup--596.htmlExploit, Third Party Advisory
- https://www.arqbackup.com/download/arq5_release_notes.htmlRelease Notes, Vendor Advisory
- https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/43218/Exploit, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
- https://m4.rkw.io/blog/cve201715357-local-root-privesc-in-arq-backup--596.htmlExploit, Third Party Advisory
- https://www.arqbackup.com/download/arq5_release_notes.htmlRelease Notes, Vendor Advisory
- https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/43218/Exploit, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
Source: NVD record, EPSS from FIRST.org, KEV from CISA, exploits from Exploit-DB. Refreshed daily. Download this record as JSON.