How severe is CVE-2019-3842?

CVE-2019-3842 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-2019-3842 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 1% (65th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2019-3842?

CVE-2019-3842 primarily affects Redhat Enterprise Linux. In total, 7 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.

How do I fix CVE-2019-3842?

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-2019-3842 published?

CVE-2019-3842 was published on 2019-04-09 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2019-3842

CVE-2019-3842 is a high-severity vulnerability in Redhat Enterprise Linux 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-863.

Key facts

Severity: High (CVSS 3.x base score 7.0)
CVSS v2: 4.4
EPSS exploit prediction: 1% (65th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-863
Affected product: Redhat Enterprise Linux
Published: 2019-04-09
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

In systemd before v242-rc4, it was discovered that pam_systemd does not properly sanitize the environment before using the XDG_SEAT variable. It is possible for an attacker, in some particular configurations, to set a XDG_SEAT environment variable which allows for commands to be checked against polkit policies using the "allow_active" element rather than "allow_any".

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2019-3842?: In systemd before v242-rc4, it was discovered that pam_systemd does not properly sanitize the environment before using the XDG_SEAT variable. It is possible for an attacker, in some particular configurations, to set a XDG_SEAT environment variable which allows for commands to be checked against polkit policies using the "allow_active" element rather than "allow_any".
How severe is CVE-2019-3842?: CVE-2019-3842 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-2019-3842 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 1% (65th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2019-3842?: CVE-2019-3842 primarily affects Redhat Enterprise Linux. In total, 7 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2019-3842?: 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-2019-3842 published?: CVE-2019-3842 was published on 2019-04-09 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (7)

cpe:2.3:a:systemd_project:systemd:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:systemd_project:systemd:242:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:systemd_project:systemd:242:rc2:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:systemd_project:systemd:242:rc3:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux:7.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:fedoraproject:fedora:30:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:debian:debian_linux:8.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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