How severe is CVE-2013-4288?

CVE-2013-4288 has a CVSS 2.0 base score of 7.2, rated high severity.

Is CVE-2013-4288 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-2013-4288?

CVE-2013-4288 primarily affects Redhat Enterprise Linux. In total, 8 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.

How do I fix CVE-2013-4288?

Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its high severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.

When was CVE-2013-4288 published?

CVE-2013-4288 was published on 2013-10-03 and last updated on 2026-06-16.

CVE-2013-4288

CVE-2013-4288 is a high-severity vulnerability in Redhat Enterprise Linux with a CVSS 2.0 base score of 7.2. 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-362.

Key facts

Severity: High (CVSS 2.0 base score 7.2)
EPSS exploit prediction: 0% (26th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-362
Affected product: Redhat Enterprise Linux
Published: 2013-10-03
Last modified: 2026-06-16

Description

Race condition in PolicyKit (aka polkit) allows local users to bypass intended PolicyKit restrictions and gain privileges by starting a setuid or pkexec process before the authorization check is performed, related to (1) the polkit_unix_process_new API function, (2) the dbus API, or (3) the --process (unix-process) option for authorization to pkcheck.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2013-4288?: Race condition in PolicyKit (aka polkit) allows local users to bypass intended PolicyKit restrictions and gain privileges by starting a setuid or pkexec process before the authorization check is performed, related to (1) the polkit_unix_process_new API function, (2) the dbus API, or (3) the --process (unix-process) option for authorization to pkcheck.
How severe is CVE-2013-4288?: CVE-2013-4288 has a CVSS 2.0 base score of 7.2, rated high severity.
Is CVE-2013-4288 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-2013-4288?: CVE-2013-4288 primarily affects Redhat Enterprise Linux. In total, 8 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2013-4288?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its high severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.
When was CVE-2013-4288 published?: CVE-2013-4288 was published on 2013-10-03 and last updated on 2026-06-16.

References

Affected products (8)

cpe:2.3:o:opensuse:opensuse:12.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:opensuse:opensuse:12.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:polkit_project:polkit:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:10.04:-:lts:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:12.04:-:lts:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:12.10:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:13.04:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux:6.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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