CVE-2017-5899
Directory traversal vulnerability in the setuid root helper binary in S-nail (later S-mailx) before 14.8.16 allows local users to write to arbitrary files and consequently gain root privileges via a ..
Does this matter?
A public exploit is published in Exploit-DB and the impact is high, while EPSS rates exploitation at 1.0%. Anyone can run this; patch or mitigate before the next change window and check exposed instances for signs of use.
Description
Directory traversal vulnerability in the setuid root helper binary in S-nail (later S-mailx) before 14.8.16 allows local users to write to arbitrary files and consequently gain root privileges via a .. (dot dot) in the randstr argument.
- CVSS 3.0
- 7.0 HIGHCVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
- EPSS
- 0.98% probability · 62th percentile
- Public exploits
- 1 in Exploit-DB · first 13 January 2019
- CISA KEV
- Not listed
- Weakness
- CWE-22, CWE-362
- Affected
- s-nail project/s-nail
- Source
- cve@mitre.org
EPSS 1.0% 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
- http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2017/01/27/7Exploit, Mailing List, Third Party Advisory
- http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2017/02/07/4Mailing List, Third Party Advisory
- http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/96138Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
- https://www.mail-archive.com/s-nail-users%40lists.sourceforge.net/msg00551.html
- http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2017/01/27/7Exploit, Mailing List, Third Party Advisory
- http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2017/02/07/4Mailing List, Third Party Advisory
- http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/96138Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
- https://www.mail-archive.com/s-nail-users%40lists.sourceforge.net/msg00551.html
Source: NVD record, EPSS from FIRST.org, KEV from CISA, exploits from Exploit-DB. Refreshed daily. Download this record as JSON.