# CVE-2019-3010: Oracle Solaris Privilege Escalation

> A low-privileged attacker with local access can exploit a vulnerability in XScreenSaver to take over the Oracle Solaris operating system.

- **Severity:** High 8.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Yes, since 25 May 2022 (CISA KEV)
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 16 Oct 2019
- **Updated:** 12 Jan 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-w255-p3v2-q6mg

## What is CVE-2019-3010?

CVE-2019-3010 is a high-severity vulnerability in Oracle Solaris, published on 16 Oct 2019. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Vulnerability in the Oracle Solaris product of Oracle Systems (component: XScreenSaver). The supported version that is affected is 11. Easily exploitable vulnerability allows low privileged attacker with logon to the infrastructure where Oracle Solaris executes to compromise Oracle Solaris. While the vulnerability is in Oracle Solaris, attacks may significantly impact additional products. Successful attacks of this vulnerability can result in takeover of Oracle Solaris. CVSS 3.0 Base Score 8.8 (Confidentiality, Integrity and Availability impacts). CVSS Vector: (CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H).

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2019-3010?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Oracle Solaris.

## How do I fix CVE-2019-3010?

No fix has been published for CVE-2019-3010 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available. US federal agencies must fix it by 15 Jun 2022.

## Is CVE-2019-3010 being exploited?

Yes. Attackers have exploited CVE-2019-3010 in the wild since at least 25 May 2022.

Public exploit code:

- Solaris xscreensaver log Privilege Escalation (metasploit)
- Solaris 11.4 - xscreensaver Privilege Escalation (exploitdb)
- Reproduction of privilege escalation breach CVE-2019-3010 (github_poc): https://github.com/chaizeg/privilege-escalation-breach

## Other vulnerabilities in Oracle Solaris

- [CVE-2020-14871](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-14871/): Oracle Solaris and Zettabyte File System (ZFS) Unspecified (critical 10.0, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2026-46978](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-46978/): Missing authorization in Oracle Solaris (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2017-3623](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-3623/): Other in Solaris Operating System (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2014-0397](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2014-0397/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2010-3509](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2010-3509/): Other in n/a (critical 10.0)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2019-3010 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2019-3010 is a high-severity vulnerability in Oracle Solaris, published on 16 Oct 2019. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: Yes. Attackers have exploited CVE-2019-3010 in the wild since at least 25 May 2022.

Affected product: Oracle Solaris. 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-2019-3010/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-3010/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2019-3010
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2019-3010
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2019-3010

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-3010/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.