How severe is CVE-2016-2781?

CVE-2016-2781 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 4.6, rated medium severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires low privileges and user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is low, integrity low, and availability none.

Is CVE-2016-2781 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (34th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2016-2781?

CVE-2016-2781 affects Gnu Coreutils. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.

How do I fix CVE-2016-2781?

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

When was CVE-2016-2781 published?

CVE-2016-2781 was published on 2017-02-07 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2016-2781

CVE-2016-2781 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Gnu Coreutils with a CVSS 3.x base score of 4.6. 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-20.

Key facts

Severity: Medium (CVSS 3.x base score 4.6)
CVSS v2: 2.1
EPSS exploit prediction: 0% (34th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-20
Affected product: Gnu Coreutils
Published: 2017-02-07
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

chroot in GNU coreutils, when used with --userspec, allows local users to escape to the parent session via a crafted TIOCSTI ioctl call, which pushes characters to the terminal's input buffer.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2016-2781?: chroot in GNU coreutils, when used with --userspec, allows local users to escape to the parent session via a crafted TIOCSTI ioctl call, which pushes characters to the terminal's input buffer.
How severe is CVE-2016-2781?: CVE-2016-2781 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 4.6, rated medium severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires low privileges and user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is low, integrity low, and availability none.
Is CVE-2016-2781 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (34th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2016-2781?: CVE-2016-2781 affects Gnu Coreutils. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.
How do I fix CVE-2016-2781?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.
When was CVE-2016-2781 published?: CVE-2016-2781 was published on 2017-02-07 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (1)

cpe:2.3:a:gnu:coreutils:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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