# CVE-2015-5273: Path traversal in n/a

> Local attackers can write to arbitrary files via symlink attacks in ABRT's debuginfo installation tool, potentially compromising system integrity.

- **Severity:** Low 3.6 (`AV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:N/I:P/A:P`)
- **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:** 7 Dec 2015
- **Updated:** 6 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-w546-43x5-c5vq

## What is CVE-2015-5273?

CVE-2015-5273 is a low-severity path traversal vulnerability in Redhat Enterprise Linux Desktop, published on 7 Dec 2015. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

The abrt-action-install-debuginfo-to-abrt-cache help program in Automatic Bug Reporting Tool (ABRT) before 2.7.1 allows local users to write to arbitrary files via a symlink attack on unpacked.cpio in a pre-created directory with a predictable name in /var/tmp.

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

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2015-5273?

It affects 5 products.


Products: Redhat Automatic Bug Reporting Tool, Redhat Enterprise Linux Desktop, Redhat Enterprise Linux Hpc Node, Redhat Enterprise Linux Server, Redhat Enterprise Linux Workstation.

## How do I fix CVE-2015-5273?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

## Is CVE-2015-5273 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2015-5273 exists.

Public exploit code:

- abrt (Centos 7.1 / Fedora 22) - Local Privilege Escalation (exploitdb)

## Other vulnerabilities in Redhat Enterprise Linux Desktop

- [CVE-2015-1869](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2015-1869/): Path traversal in ABRT (high 7.8)
- [CVE-2015-3151](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2015-3151/): Path traversal in ABRT (high 7.8)
- [CVE-2015-3159](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2015-3159/): Privilege escalation in ABRT (high 7.8)
- [CVE-2015-3315](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2015-3315/): Path traversal in n/a (high 7.8)
- [CVE-2015-3150](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2015-3150/): Path traversal in ABRT (high 7.1)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2015-5273 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2015-5273 is a low-severity path traversal vulnerability in Redhat Enterprise Linux Desktop, published on 7 Dec 2015. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2015-5273 exists.

Affected product: Redhat Enterprise Linux Desktop. 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-2015-5273/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2015-5273/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2015-5273
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2015-5273
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2015-5273

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2015-5273/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.