# CVE-2012-0871: Path traversal in n/a

> Local attackers can overwrite arbitrary files via symlink attacks in systemd-logind, potentially compromising system integrity.

- **Severity:** Medium 6.3 (`AV:L/AC:M/Au:N/C:N/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:** 18 Apr 2014
- **Updated:** 6 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2012-0871, GHSA-jv9q-v37q-34vv

## What is CVE-2012-0871?

CVE-2012-0871 is a medium-severity path traversal vulnerability in Opensuse Opensuse, published on 18 Apr 2014. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

The session_link_x11_socket function in login/logind-session.c in systemd-logind in systemd, possibly 37 and earlier, allows local users to create or overwrite arbitrary files via a symlink attack on the X11 user directory in /run/user/.

Weakness: CWE-59 (Improper Link Resolution Before File Access)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2012-0871?

It affects 2 products.


Products: Opensuse Opensuse, Systemd Project Systemd.

## How do I fix CVE-2012-0871?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2012-0871 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2012-0871 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Opensuse Opensuse

- [CVE-2015-5957](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2015-5957/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2015-0491](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2015-0491/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2008-2388](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2008-2388/): Integer overflow in n/a (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2010-1866](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2010-1866/): Integer overflow in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2015-0492](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2015-0492/): Other in n/a (critical 9.3)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2012-0871 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2012-0871 is a medium-severity path traversal vulnerability in Opensuse Opensuse, published on 18 Apr 2014. 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-2012-0871 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Opensuse Opensuse. 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-2012-0871/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2012-0871/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2012-0871
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2012-0871
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2012-0871

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2012-0871/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.