GNU libextractor before 1.16 loads plugins from an untrusted search path specified by the LIBEXTRACTOR_PREFIX environment variable without proper privilege checks. A local attacker can exploit this by setting LIBEXTRACTOR_PREFIX to a directory containing a malicious plugin that executes arbitrary code with elevated privileges when loaded by a setuid or setgid program.
Weakness
The product searches for critical resources using an externally-supplied search path that can point to resources that are not under the product’s direct control.
Affected Software
| Name | Vendor | Start Version | End Version |
|---|---|---|---|
| Libextractor | Ubuntu | upstream | * |
Extended Description
This might allow attackers to execute their own programs, access unauthorized data files, or modify configuration in unexpected ways. If the product uses a search path to locate critical resources such as programs, then an attacker could modify that search path to point to a malicious program, which the targeted product would then execute. The problem extends to any type of critical resource that the product trusts. Some of the most common variants of untrusted search path are:
Potential Mitigations
Related Attack Patterns
References
- https://ftp.gnu.org/gnu/libextractor/
- https://git.gnunet.org/gnunet/libextractor/commit/6edfa653c048800e24a17f7e8cc2bb42659b8d01.html
- https://github.com/Haitam-lazaar/libextractor-privesc
- https://www.gnu.org/software/libextractor/
- https://www.vulncheck.com/advisories/gnu-libextractor-before-1.16-privilege-escalation-via-libextractor-prefix
- http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2026/09/25/25