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CVE-2014-2972

expand.c in Exim before 4.83 expands mathematical comparisons twice, which allows local users to...

4.6 MediumFix available

expand.c in Exim before 4.83 expands mathematical comparisons twice, which allows local users to gain privileges and execute arbitrary commands via a crafted lookup value.

Exploit likelihood

0.49%Down 0.6 points since Feb 4, 2022
90%50%10%1%

What each source reports

NVD Score used 4.6

expand.c in Exim before 4.83 expands mathematical comparisons twice, which allows local users to gain privileges and execute arbitrary commands via a crafted lookup value.

Record
CVE-2014-2972
CVSS 2.0
4.6 MediumAV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P
Weakness
CWE-189
Updated
2026-11-02
CVE List No score

expand.c in Exim before 4.83 expands mathematical comparisons twice, which allows local users to gain privileges and execute arbitrary commands via a crafted lookup value.

Record
CVE-2014-2972
Updated
2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2014-2994 No score

expand.c in Exim before 4.83 expands mathematical comparisons twice, which allows local users to gain privileges and execute arbitrary commands via a crafted lookup value.

Record
EUVD-2014-2994
Updated
2026-11-03
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-9qqj-vrhc-8q74 No score

expand.c in Exim before 4.83 expands mathematical comparisons twice, which allows local users to...

expand.c in Exim before 4.83 expands mathematical comparisons twice, which allows local users to gain privileges and execute arbitrary commands via a crafted lookup value.

Record
GHSA-9qqj-vrhc-8q74
Updated
2026-11-02
OSV No score

expand.c in Exim before 4.83 expands mathematical comparisons twice, which allows local users to gain privileges and execute arbitrary commands via a crafted lookup value.

Record
CVE-2014-2972
Updated
2026-11-02
OSVDEBIAN-CVE-2014-2972 No score

expand.c in Exim before 4.83 expands mathematical comparisons twice, which allows local users to gain privileges and execute arbitrary commands via a crafted lookup value.

Record
DEBIAN-CVE-2014-2972
Updated
2026-11-02
OSVopenSUSE-SU-2024:10017-1 No score

exim-4.86.2-2.2 on GA media

These are all security issues fixed in the exim-4.86.2-2.2 package on the GA media of openSUSE Tumbleweed.

Record
openSUSE-SU-2024:10017-1
Updated
2026-11-02
OSVUBUNTU-CVE-2014-2972 No score

expand.c in Exim before 4.83 expands mathematical comparisons twice, which allows local users to gain privileges and execute arbitrary commands via a crafted lookup value.

Record
UBUNTU-CVE-2014-2972
Updated
2026-11-02
OSVUSN-2933-1 No score

exim4 vulnerabilities

It was discovered that Exim incorrectly filtered environment variables when used with the perl_startup configuration option. If the perl_startup option was enabled, a local attacker could use this issue to escalate their privileges to the root user. This issue has been fixed by having Exim clean the complete execution environment by default on startup, including any subprocesses such as transports that call other programs. This change in behaviour may break existing installations and can be adjusted by using two new configuration options, keep_environment and add_environment. (CVE-2016-1531)

Patrick William discovered that Exim incorrectly expanded mathematical comparisons twice. A local attacker could possibly use this issue to perform arbitrary file operations as the Exim user. This issue only affected Ubuntu 12.04 LTS and Ubuntu 14.04 LTS. (CVE-2014-2972)

Record
USN-2933-1
Updated
2026-11-02

Affected products

Affected packages

Affected packages
PackageAffectedFixed
exim4
Debian:12
before 4.82.1-2
4.82.1-2
exim4
Debian:13
before 4.82.1-2
4.82.1-2
exim4
Debian:14
before 4.82.1-2
4.82.1-2
exim4
Ubuntu:14.04:LTS
before 4.82-3ubuntu2.1, plus listed versions
4.80-7ubuntu34.80-7ubuntu44.80-9ubuntu14.80-9ubuntu24.82-3ubuntu14.82-3ubuntu2
4.82-3ubuntu2.1
exim4
Ubuntu:14.04:LTS
From an advisory covering 2 CVEs
before 4.82-3ubuntu2.1, plus listed versions
4.80-7ubuntu34.80-7ubuntu44.80-9ubuntu14.80-9ubuntu24.82-3ubuntu14.82-3ubuntu2
4.82-3ubuntu2.1
exim
openSUSE:Tumbleweed
From an advisory covering 11 CVEs
before 4.86.2-2.2
4.86.2-2.2

History

History
RecordedChangedSources
affected, facts
aliasesEUVD
first indexedCVE List, GitHub Advisories, NVD, OSV

Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.

In short

CVE-2014-2972 is a medium vulnerability (CVSS 4.6) in Exim, published September 4, 2014. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 0.49%, the 42nd percentile. Fixed in exim4 4.82.1-2.

References

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