# CVE-2014-3563: SaltStack Salt Insecure Temporary File Creation

> Local attackers can exploit insecure temporary file creation in SaltStack components to potentially escalate privileges or modify data.

- **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:** 22 Aug 2014
- **Updated:** 6 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-mfr3-9cj8-h2qm, PYSEC-2014-18, UBUNTU-CVE-2014-3563

## What is CVE-2014-3563?

CVE-2014-3563 is a high-severity path traversal vulnerability in Saltstack Salt, published on 22 Aug 2014. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Multiple unspecified vulnerabilities in Salt (aka SaltStack) before 2014.1.10 allow local users to have an unspecified impact via vectors related to temporary file creation in (1) seed.py, (2) salt-ssh, or (3) salt-cloud.

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

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2014-3563?

3 open source packages ship an affected version, including salt. It affects 1 product.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `salt` | PyPI | All versions | 2014.1.10 |
| `salt` | PyPI | All versions | 2014.1.10 |
| `salt` | PyPI | All versions | 2014.1.10 |

Products: Saltstack Salt.

## How do I fix CVE-2014-3563?

Upgrade salt to 2014.1.10 or later.

## Is CVE-2014-3563 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2014-3563 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Saltstack Salt

- [CVE-2013-4437](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2013-4437/): SaltStack insecurely uses /tmp (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2013-6617](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2013-6617/): SaltStack Privilege Escalation vulnerability (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2021-33226](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-33226/): Code injection in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2021-25315](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-25315/): salt-api unauthenticated remote code execution (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2018-15751](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-15751/): SaltStack Salt Remote command execution and incorrect access control when using salt-api (critical 9.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2014-3563 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2014-3563 is a high-severity path traversal vulnerability in Saltstack Salt, published on 22 Aug 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-2014-3563 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected packages and fixed versions:
- salt (PyPI): affected all versions; fixed in 2014.1.10
- salt (PyPI): affected all versions; fixed in 2014.1.10
- salt (PyPI): affected all versions; fixed in 2014.1.10

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-2014-3563/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2014-3563/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2014-3563
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2014-3563
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2014-3563

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2014-3563/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.