How severe is CVE-2011-3871?

CVE-2011-3871 has a CVSS 2.0 base score of 6.2, rated medium severity.

Is CVE-2011-3871 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (26th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2011-3871?

CVE-2011-3871 primarily affects Puppet. In total, 23 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.

How do I fix CVE-2011-3871?

Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.

When was CVE-2011-3871 published?

CVE-2011-3871 was published on 2011-10-27 and last updated on 2026-06-16.

CVE-2011-3871

CVE-2011-3871 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Puppet with a CVSS 2.0 base score of 6.2. It is not currently listed as actively exploited by CISA, and its EPSS exploit-prediction score is low. The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-264.

Key facts

Severity: Medium (CVSS 2.0 base score 6.2)
EPSS exploit prediction: 0% (26th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-264
Affected product: Puppet
Published: 2011-10-27
Last modified: 2026-06-16

Description

Puppet 2.7.x before 2.7.5, 2.6.x before 2.6.11, and 0.25.x, when running in --edit mode, uses a predictable file name, which allows local users to run arbitrary Puppet code or trick a user into editing arbitrary files.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2011-3871?: Puppet 2.7.x before 2.7.5, 2.6.x before 2.6.11, and 0.25.x, when running in --edit mode, uses a predictable file name, which allows local users to run arbitrary Puppet code or trick a user into editing arbitrary files.
How severe is CVE-2011-3871?: CVE-2011-3871 has a CVSS 2.0 base score of 6.2, rated medium severity.
Is CVE-2011-3871 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (26th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2011-3871?: CVE-2011-3871 primarily affects Puppet. In total, 23 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2011-3871?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.
When was CVE-2011-3871 published?: CVE-2011-3871 was published on 2011-10-27 and last updated on 2026-06-16.

References

Affected products (23)

cpe:2.3:a:puppet:puppet:2.6.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:puppet:puppet:2.6.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:puppet:puppet:2.6.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:puppet:puppet:2.6.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:puppet:puppet:2.6.4:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:puppet:puppet:2.6.5:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:puppet:puppet:2.6.6:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:puppet:puppet:2.6.7:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:puppet:puppet:2.6.8:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:puppet:puppet:2.6.9:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:puppet:puppet:2.6.10:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:puppet:puppet:2.7.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:puppet:puppet:2.7.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:puppet:puppet:2.7.4:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:puppetlabs:puppet:2.7.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:puppetlabs:puppet:2.7.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:puppet:puppet:0.25.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:puppet:puppet:0.25.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:puppet:puppet:0.25.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:puppet:puppet:0.25.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:puppet:puppet:0.25.4:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:puppet:puppet:0.25.5:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:puppet:puppet:0.25.6:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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