CVE-2013-4215: Medium severity Nagios Plugins vulnerability

Published Apr 28, 2013
·
Updated

Found during an audit of openstack and all its dependencies.

Error: nagios-plugins-1.4.16-6.el6ost/nagios-plugins-1.4.16/contrib/checkipxping.c

#define IPXPINGCOMMAND "/tmp/ipxping/ipxping"

The IPXPINGCOMMAND is used to build command line that is executed later on using execv. As this is a predictable location in a public area a local attacker may place their own file in that location or symlink to another command. AFAICT little or no checks are made about the file permissions or ownership.

Other sources

The IPXPINGCOMMAND in contrib/checkipxping.c in Nagios Plugins 1.4.16 allows local users to gain privileges via a symlink attack on /tmp/ipxping/ipxping.

MITRE

Affected Software

1 affected component
Nagios Plugins=1.4.16

Event History

Apr 28, 2013
Data Sourced
via Red Hat·11:37 AM
DescriptionSeverityAffected Software
May 5, 2014
CVE Published
via MITRE·05:00 PM
Data Sourced
via MITRE·05:00 PM
Description
Data Sourced
via NVD·05:06 PM
DescriptionSeverityWeaknessAffected Software
Free Weekly Intel

Don't miss critical vulnerabilities

Join thousands of security professionals who receive our weekly digest of trending CVEs, zero-days, and exploited vulnerabilities.

No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.

Frequently Asked Questions

1

What is the severity of CVE-2013-4215?

CVE-2013-4215 has a medium severity rating due to its potential for local execution vulnerabilities.

2

How do I fix CVE-2013-4215?

To fix CVE-2013-4215, upgrade to a version of Nagios Plugins that does not use the vulnerable IPXPING_COMMAND.

3

What software is affected by CVE-2013-4215?

CVE-2013-4215 affects Nagios Plugins version 1.4.16.

4

Can CVE-2013-4215 lead to privilege escalation?

Yes, CVE-2013-4215 can potentially allow privilege escalation through the execution of arbitrary commands.

5

Is there a workaround for CVE-2013-4215?

A temporary workaround for CVE-2013-4215 is to restrict access to the /tmp/ipxping directory and its contents.

Contact

SecAlerts Pty Ltd.
132 Wickham Terrace
Fortitude Valley,
QLD 4006, Australia
info@secalerts.co
By using SecAlerts services, you agree to our services end-user license agreement. This website is safeguarded by reCAPTCHA and governed by the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. All names, logos, and brands of products are owned by their respective owners, and any usage of these names, logos, and brands for identification purposes only does not imply endorsement. If you possess any content that requires removal, please get in touch with us.
© 2026 SecAlerts Pty Ltd.
ABN: 70 645 966 203, ACN: 645 966 203