# CVE-2006-3378: Privilege escalation in n/a

> Local attackers can gain root privileges via the passwd command if setuid fails due to PAM errors or resource limits.

- **Severity:** High 7.2 (`AV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 6 Jul 2006
- **Updated:** 7 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2006-3378, DSA-1150-1, GHSA-34pj-cg9w-gxv3

## What is CVE-2006-3378?

CVE-2006-3378 is a high-severity vulnerability in Ubuntu Ubuntu Linux, published on 6 Jul 2006. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

passwd command in shadow in Ubuntu 5.04 through 6.06 LTS, when called with the -f, -g, or -s flag, does not check the return code of a setuid call, which might allow local users to gain root privileges if setuid fails in cases such as PAM failures or resource limits.

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2006-3378?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Ubuntu Ubuntu Linux.

## How do I fix CVE-2006-3378?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2006-3378 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2006-3378 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Ubuntu Ubuntu Linux

- [CVE-2010-0834](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2010-0834/): Auth bypass in n/a (critical 9.3)
- [CVE-2006-3597](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2006-3597/): Auth bypass in n/a (high 7.2)
- [CVE-2006-1183](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2006-1183/): Information disclosure in n/a (high 7.2)
- [CVE-2009-0578](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2009-0578/): Missing authorization in n/a (medium 6.2)
- [CVE-2006-5648](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2006-5648/): Denial of service in n/a (medium 5.5)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2006-3378 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2006-3378 is a high-severity vulnerability in Ubuntu Ubuntu Linux, published on 6 Jul 2006. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2006-3378 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Ubuntu Ubuntu Linux. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2006-3378/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2006-3378/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2006-3378
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2006-3378
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2006-3378

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2006-3378/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.