# CVE-2012-3462: Auth bypass in sssd

> SSSD ignores Host-Based Access Control rules when setting SELinux contexts, allowing unauthorized access to systems.

- **Severity:** High 8.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 26 Dec 2019
- **Updated:** 6 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2012-3462, GHSA-h73j-5p58-29r6

## What is CVE-2012-3462?

CVE-2012-3462 is a high-severity authentication bypass vulnerability in sssd, published on 26 Dec 2019. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

A flaw was found in SSSD version 1.9.0. The SSSD's access-provider logic causes the result of the HBAC rule processing to be ignored in the event that the access-provider is also handling the setup of the user's SELinux user context.

Weakness: CWE-287 (Improper Authentication)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2012-3462?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Fedoraproject Sssd.

## How do I fix CVE-2012-3462?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2012-3462 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2012-3462 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in sssd

- [CVE-2022-4254](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-4254/): Other in SSSD (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2026-104048](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-104048/): Sssd: sssd: authorization bypass via cross-domain username collision in hbac evaluation (medium 6.8)
- [CVE-2015-5292](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2015-5292/): Denial of service in n/a (medium 6.8)
- [CVE-2026-12610](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-12610/): Sssd: use-after-free crash in sssd' 'sssd_pam' process (medium 6.4)
- [CVE-2026-104046](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-104046/): Sssd: sssd: denial of service via incomplete identity provider authentication requests (medium 6.2)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2012-3462 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2012-3462 is a high-severity authentication bypass vulnerability in sssd, published on 26 Dec 2019. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2012-3462 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: sssd. 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-2012-3462/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2012-3462/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2012-3462
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2012-3462
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2012-3462

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2012-3462/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.