Skip to content
Ubuntu libuser Vulnerabilities Lead to Potential Privilege Escalation

Ubuntu libuser Vulnerabilities Lead to Potential Privilege Escalation

First seen 3 Nov 2026, 22:45 UTC • •
API

Article Content

Browse articles
ThreatCluster AI
ThreatCluster •November 3, 2026 at 22:46 UTC
  • •Two critical vulnerabilities in libuser affect Ubuntu systems.
  • •CVE-2015-3245 and CVE-2015-3246 allow local privilege escalation and denial of service.
  • •Immediate system updates are recommended to mitigate these vulnerabilities.

Two vulnerabilities in the libuser library were disclosed, affecting user information management on Ubuntu systems. CVE-2015-3245 allows local attackers to corrupt the passwd file, leading to denial of service. CVE-2015-3246 enables modification of the passwd file in place, which could cause an inconsistent file state, resulting in denial of service or privilege escalation. These vulnerabilities were published on August 11, 2015, and have been added to the CISA KEV list due to reported on August 26, 2026. Users are advised to update their systems to mitigate these risks. A standard system update will address these vulnerabilities.

Start a free Starter trial for enhanced analysis

Ask AI about this cluster

Updated 6h ago How this analysis works

Timeline

2015-08-11
CVE-2015-3245 and CVE-2015-3246 published
Two vulnerabilities in libuser affecting user information management were published.
Ubuntu
2026-08-26
CVE-2015-3246 added to CISA KEV
CISA added CVE-2015-3246 to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog due to active exploitation.
Linuxsecurity
2026-11-03
Security notice published
Ubuntu published a security notice detailing vulnerabilities in libuser and recommended updates.
Ubuntu

More articles in this cluster (3)

Following this threat?

Track Ubuntu and CVE-2015-3245 in your own feed — you're alerted when they show up in new reporting, leak sites or exploitation.

Free account · no card needed

Extracted Entities (6)

1 / 4

Common questions

Which versions of Ubuntu are affected?
The vulnerabilities affect various versions of Ubuntu that utilize the libuser library.
How urgent is the patching process?
Patching is urgent due to active exploitation of CVE-2015-3246, which has been confirmed by CISA.
What steps should be taken to secure systems?
System administrators should apply the latest updates for libuser as soon as possible to mitigate risks.