# CVE-2016-4989: Command injection in n/a

> Local attackers can bypass container protections and execute arbitrary commands via crafted file names or XML inputs in setroubleshoot.

- **Severity:** High 7.0 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:H/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:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 11 Apr 2017
- **Updated:** 6 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-585r-x79p-835g

## What is CVE-2016-4989?

CVE-2016-4989 is a high-severity command injection vulnerability in Redhat Enterprise Linux Desktop, published on 11 Apr 2017. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

setroubleshoot allows local users to bypass an intended container protection mechanism and execute arbitrary commands by (1) triggering an SELinux denial with a crafted file name, which is handled by the _set_tpath function in audit_data.py or via a crafted (2) local_id or (3) analysis_id field in a crafted XML document to the run_fix function in SetroubleshootFixit.py, related to the subprocess.check_output and commands.getstatusoutput functions, a different vulnerability than CVE-2016-4445.

Weakness: CWE-77 (Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in a Command)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2016-4989?

It affects 5 products.


Products: Redhat Enterprise Linux Desktop, Redhat Enterprise Linux Hpc Node, Redhat Enterprise Linux Server, Redhat Enterprise Linux Workstation, Setroubleshoot Project Setroubleshoot.

## How do I fix CVE-2016-4989?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2016-4989 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2016-4989 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Redhat Enterprise Linux Desktop

- [CVE-2016-5405](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-5405/): Information disclosure in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2016-7050](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-7050/): Deserialization in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2014-8241](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2014-8241/): Null dereference in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2014-8567](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2014-8567/): Denial of service in n/a (critical 9.4)
- [CVE-2018-10897](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-10897/): Path traversal in yum-utils: (high 8.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2016-4989 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2016-4989 is a high-severity command injection vulnerability in Redhat Enterprise Linux Desktop, published on 11 Apr 2017. 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-2016-4989 in the wild and no public exploit code.

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-2016-4989/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-4989/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2016-4989
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2016-4989
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2016-4989

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-4989/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.