How severe is CVE-2017-5940?

CVE-2017-5940 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 8.8, rated high severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.

Is CVE-2017-5940 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (28th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2017-5940?

CVE-2017-5940 primarily affects Firejail Project Firejail. In total, 2 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.

How do I fix CVE-2017-5940?

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-2017-5940 published?

CVE-2017-5940 was published on 2017-02-09 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2017-5940

CVE-2017-5940 is a high-severity vulnerability in Firejail Project Firejail with a CVSS 3.x base score of 8.8. 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-269.

Key facts

Severity: High (CVSS 3.x base score 8.8)
CVSS v2: 4.6
EPSS exploit prediction: 0% (28th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-269
Affected product: Firejail Project Firejail
Published: 2017-02-09
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

Firejail before 0.9.44.6 and 0.9.38.x LTS before 0.9.38.10 LTS does not comprehensively address dotfile cases during its attempt to prevent accessing user files with an euid of zero, which allows local users to conduct sandbox-escape attacks via vectors involving a symlink and the --private option. NOTE: this vulnerability exists because of an incomplete fix for CVE-2017-5180.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2017-5940?: Firejail before 0.9.44.6 and 0.9.38.x LTS before 0.9.38.10 LTS does not comprehensively address dotfile cases during its attempt to prevent accessing user files with an euid of zero, which allows local users to conduct sandbox-escape attacks via vectors involving a symlink and the --private option. NOTE: this vulnerability exists because of an incomplete fix for CVE-2017-5180.
How severe is CVE-2017-5940?: CVE-2017-5940 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 8.8, rated high severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.
Is CVE-2017-5940 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (28th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2017-5940?: CVE-2017-5940 primarily affects Firejail Project Firejail. In total, 2 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2017-5940?: 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-2017-5940 published?: CVE-2017-5940 was published on 2017-02-09 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (2)

cpe:2.3:a:firejail_project:firejail:*:*:*:*:lts:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:firejail_project:firejail:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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