# CVE-2022-37706: Privilege escalation in n/a

> Local attackers can gain root privileges due to improper handling of pathnames in the setuid enlightenment_sys binary.

- **Severity:** High 7.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/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:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 25 Dec 2022
- **Updated:** 14 Apr 2025
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2022-37706, DLA-3115-1, DSA-5233-1, GHSA-j268-37pf-rvx9, MGASA-2022-0360, UBUNTU-CVE-2022-37706, openSUSE-SU-2022:10153-1, openSUSE-SU-2024:12365-1

## What is CVE-2022-37706?

CVE-2022-37706 is a high-severity vulnerability in n/a, published on 25 Dec 2022. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

enlightenment_sys in Enlightenment before 0.25.4 allows local users to gain privileges because it is setuid root, and the system library function mishandles pathnames that begin with a /dev/.. substring.

Weakness: CWE-269 (Improper Privilege Management)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2022-37706?

It affects 1 product.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `enlightenment` | SUSE:Package Hub 15 SP4 | All versions | 0.25.4-bp154.4.3.1 |
| `enlightenment` | openSUSE:Leap 15.4 | All versions | 0.25.4-bp154.4.3.1 |

Products: Enlightenment Enlightenment.

## How do I fix CVE-2022-37706?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

## Is CVE-2022-37706 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2022-37706 exists.

Public exploit code:

- A reliable exploit + write-up to elevate privileges to root. (Tested on Ubuntu 22.04) (github_poc): https://github.com/MaherAzzouzi/CVE-2022-37706-LPE-exploit
- All Credit to MaherAzzouzi (https://github.com/MaherAzzouzi/CVE-2022-37706-LPE-exploit). This is a copy of the exploit for CTFs (github_poc): https://github.com/ECU-10525611-Xander/CVE-2022-37706
- https://github.com/KaoXx/CVE-2022-37706 (github_poc): https://github.com/KaoXx/CVE-2022-37706
- Privilege escaltion exploit script for Boardlight machine on HackTheBox. I had access as the Larissa user and ran this script from the /tmp directory; script has been adjusted accordingly. (github_poc): https://github.com/d3ndr1t30x/CVE-2022-37706
- Ubuntu Enlightenment Mount Priv Esc (metasploit)
- Enlightenment v0.25.3 - Privilege escalation (exploitdb)

## Other vulnerabilities in n/a

- [CVE-2014-1845](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2014-1845/): Privilege escalation in n/a (high 7.8)
- [CVE-2014-1846](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2014-1846/): Privilege escalation in n/a (high 7.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2022-37706 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2022-37706 is a high-severity vulnerability in n/a, published on 25 Dec 2022. 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-2022-37706 exists.

Affected product: n/a. 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-2022-37706/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-37706/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2022-37706
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2022-37706
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2022-37706

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-37706/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.