How severe is CVE-2012-3440?

CVE-2012-3440 has a CVSS 2.0 base score of 5.6, rated medium severity.

Is CVE-2012-3440 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (35th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2012-3440?

CVE-2012-3440 primarily affects Redhat Enterprise Linux. In total, 2 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.

How do I fix CVE-2012-3440?

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

When was CVE-2012-3440 published?

CVE-2012-3440 was published on 2012-08-08 and last updated on 2026-06-16.

CVE-2012-3440

CVE-2012-3440 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Redhat Enterprise Linux with a CVSS 2.0 base score of 5.6. 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-59.

Key facts

Severity: Medium (CVSS 2.0 base score 5.6)
EPSS exploit prediction: 0% (35th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-59
Affected product: Redhat Enterprise Linux
Published: 2012-08-08
Last modified: 2026-06-16

Description

A certain Red Hat script for sudo 1.7.2 on Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) 5 allows local users to overwrite arbitrary files via a symlink attack on the /var/tmp/nsswitch.conf.bak temporary file.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2012-3440?: A certain Red Hat script for sudo 1.7.2 on Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) 5 allows local users to overwrite arbitrary files via a symlink attack on the /var/tmp/nsswitch.conf.bak temporary file.
How severe is CVE-2012-3440?: CVE-2012-3440 has a CVSS 2.0 base score of 5.6, rated medium severity.
Is CVE-2012-3440 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (35th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2012-3440?: CVE-2012-3440 primarily affects Redhat Enterprise Linux. In total, 2 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2012-3440?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.
When was CVE-2012-3440 published?: CVE-2012-3440 was published on 2012-08-08 and last updated on 2026-06-16.

References

Affected products (2)

cpe:2.3:a:todd_miller:sudo:1.7.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux:5:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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