Zsh before version 5.4.2-test-1 is vulnerable to a buffer overflow in the shell autocomplete functionality. A local unprivileged user can create a specially crafted directory path which leads to code execution in the context of the user who tries to use autocomplete to traverse the before mentioned path. If the user affected is privileged, this leads to privilege escalation.
This vulnerability carries a HIGH severity rating with a CVSS v3.1 score of 7.8, requiring local system access to exploit with relatively low complexity without requiring user interaction requiring only low-level privileges . The vulnerability impacts confidentiality (data exposure), integrity (unauthorized modifications), and availability (service disruption) for affected systems. Impacting 6 products from zsh, from canonical, from debian and 3 others, organizations running these solutions should prioritize assessment and patching.
First disclosed in 2018, this vulnerability was reported during a period defined by widespread IoT adoption challenges, mobile security concerns, and the emergence of advanced persistent threat (APT) techniques. Contemporary mitigation strategies focused on secure development practices and third-party component vetting.
2018-03-28T13:29:00.213
2024-11-21T03:59:08.633
Modified
CVSSv3.0: 7.8 (HIGH)
AV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C
3.9
10.0
| Type | Vendor | Product | Version/Range | Vulnerable? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Application | zsh | zsh | ≤ 5.4.1 | Yes |
| Operating System | canonical | ubuntu_linux | 14.04 | Yes |
| Operating System | canonical | ubuntu_linux | 16.04 | Yes |
| Operating System | canonical | ubuntu_linux | 17.10 | Yes |
| Operating System | debian | debian_linux | 7.0 | Yes |
| Operating System | redhat | enterprise_linux_desktop | 6.0 | Yes |
| Operating System | redhat | enterprise_linux_desktop | 7.0 | Yes |
| Operating System | redhat | enterprise_linux_server | 6.0 | Yes |
| Operating System | redhat | enterprise_linux_server | 7.0 | Yes |
| Operating System | redhat | enterprise_linux_workstation | 6.0 | Yes |
| Operating System | redhat | enterprise_linux_workstation | 7.0 | Yes |
SecUtils normalizes and enriches National Vulnerability Database (NVD) records by standardizing vendor and product identifiers, aggregating vulnerability metadata from both NVD and MITRE sources, and providing structured context for security teams. For zsh's affected products, we extract Common Platform Enumeration (CPE) data, Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE) classifications, CVSS severity metrics, and reference data to enable rapid vulnerability prioritization and asset correlation. This record contains no exploit code, proof-of-concept instructions, or attack methodologies—only defensive intelligence necessary for patch management, risk assessment, and security operations.