How severe is CVE-2016-4989?

CVE-2016-4989 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.0, rated high severity. It is exploitable over local access with high attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.

Is CVE-2016-4989 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (37th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2016-4989?

CVE-2016-4989 primarily affects Redhat Enterprise Linux Desktop. In total, 5 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.

How do I fix CVE-2016-4989?

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-2016-4989 published?

CVE-2016-4989 was published on 2017-04-11 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2016-4989

CVE-2016-4989 is a high-severity vulnerability in Redhat Enterprise Linux Desktop with a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.0. 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-77.

Key facts

Severity: High (CVSS 3.x base score 7.0)
CVSS v2: 6.9
EPSS exploit prediction: 0% (37th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-77
Affected product: Redhat Enterprise Linux Desktop
Published: 2017-04-11
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

setroubleshoot allows local users to bypass an intended container protection mechanism and execute arbitrary commands by (1) triggering an SELinux denial with a crafted file name, which is handled by the _set_tpath function in audit_data.py or via a crafted (2) local_id or (3) analysis_id field in a crafted XML document to the run_fix function in SetroubleshootFixit.py, related to the subprocess.check_output and commands.getstatusoutput functions, a different vulnerability than CVE-2016-4445.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2016-4989?: setroubleshoot allows local users to bypass an intended container protection mechanism and execute arbitrary commands by (1) triggering an SELinux denial with a crafted file name, which is handled by the _set_tpath function in audit_data.py or via a crafted (2) local_id or (3) analysis_id field in a crafted XML document to the run_fix function in SetroubleshootFixit.py, related to the subprocess.check_output and commands.getstatusoutput functions, a different vulnerability than CVE-2016-4445.
How severe is CVE-2016-4989?: CVE-2016-4989 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.0, rated high severity. It is exploitable over local access with high attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.
Is CVE-2016-4989 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (37th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2016-4989?: CVE-2016-4989 primarily affects Redhat Enterprise Linux Desktop. In total, 5 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2016-4989?: 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-2016-4989 published?: CVE-2016-4989 was published on 2017-04-11 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (5)

cpe:2.3:a:setroubleshoot_project:setroubleshoot:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux_desktop:7.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux_hpc_node:7.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux_server:7.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux_workstation:7.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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