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CVE-2023-3972

Insights-client: unsafe handling of temporary files and directories

7.8 HighFix available

A vulnerability was found in insights-client. This security issue occurs because of insecure file operations or unsafe handling of temporary files and directories that lead to local privilege escalation. Before the insights-client has been registered on the system by root, an unprivileged local user or attacker could create the /var/tmp/insights-client directory (owning the directory with read, write, and execute permissions) on the system. After the insights-client is registered by root, an attacker could then control the directory content that insights are using by putting malicious scripts into it and executing arbitrary code as root (trivially bypassing SELinux protections because insights processes are allowed to disable SELinux system-wide).

Attack profile

How easy it is to exploit

Attack vector
Local
Complexity
Low
Privileges needed
Low
User interaction
None

What an attacker can affect

Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High

Exploit likelihood

0.27%Up 0.2 points since Nov 2, 2023
90%50%10%1%

What each source reports

CVE List Score used 7.8

Insights-client: unsafe handling of temporary files and directories

A vulnerability was found in insights-client. This security issue occurs because of insecure file operations or unsafe handling of temporary files and directories that lead to local privilege escalation. Before the insights-client has been registered on the system by root, an unprivileged local user or attacker could create the /var/tmp/insights-client directory (owning the directory with read, write, and execute permissions) on the system. After the insights-client is registered by root, an attacker could then control the directory content that insights are using by putting malicious scripts into it and executing arbitrary code as root (trivially bypassing SELinux protections because insights processes are allowed to disable SELinux system-wide).

Record
CVE-2023-3972
CVSS 3.1
7.8 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Weakness
CWE-379, CWE-379
Updated
2026-11-07
EUVDEUVD-2023-44597 7.8

A vulnerability was found in insights-client. This security issue occurs because of insecure file operations or unsafe handling of temporary files and directories that lead to local privilege escalation. Before the insights-client has been registered on the system by root, an unprivileged local user or attacker could create the /var/tmp/insights-client directory (owning the directory with read, write, and execute permissions) on the system. After the insights-client is registered by root, an attacker could then control the directory content that insights are using by putting malicious scripts into it and executing arbitrary code as root (trivially bypassing SELinux protections because insights processes are allowed to disable SELinux system-wide).

Record
EUVD-2023-44597
CVSS 3.1
7.8 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Updated
2026-11-07
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-37f3-8h34-h4xf 7.8

A vulnerability was found in insights-client. This security issue occurs because of insecure file...

A vulnerability was found in insights-client. This security issue occurs because of insecure file operations or unsafe handling of temporary files and directories that lead to local privilege escalation. Before the insights-client has been registered on the system by root, an unprivileged local user or attacker could create the /var/tmp/insights-client directory (owning the directory with read, write, and execute permissions) on the system. After the insights-client is registered by root, an attacker could then control the directory content that insights are using by putting malicious scripts into it and executing arbitrary code as root (trivially bypassing SELinux protections because insights processes are allowed to disable SELinux system-wide).

Record
GHSA-37f3-8h34-h4xf
CVSS 3.1
7.8 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Weakness
CWE-379, CWE-668
Updated
2026-11-02
NVD 7.8

A vulnerability was found in insights-client. This security issue occurs because of insecure file operations or unsafe handling of temporary files and directories that lead to local privilege escalation. Before the insights-client has been registered on the system by root, an unprivileged local user or attacker could create the /var/tmp/insights-client directory (owning the directory with read, write, and execute permissions) on the system. After the insights-client is registered by root, an attacker could then control the directory content that insights are using by putting malicious scripts into it and executing arbitrary code as root (trivially bypassing SELinux protections because insights processes are allowed to disable SELinux system-wide).

Record
CVE-2023-3972
CVSS 3.1
7.8 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Weakness
CWE-379, CWE-668
Updated
2026-11-07
OSV 7.8

Insights-client: unsafe handling of temporary files and directories

A vulnerability was found in insights-client. This security issue occurs because of insecure file operations or unsafe handling of temporary files and directories that lead to local privilege escalation. Before the insights-client has been registered on the system by root, an unprivileged local user or attacker could create the /var/tmp/insights-client directory (owning the directory with read, write, and execute permissions) on the system. After the insights-client is registered by root, an attacker could then control the directory content that insights are using by putting malicious scripts into it and executing arbitrary code as root (trivially bypassing SELinux protections because insights processes are allowed to disable SELinux system-wide).

Record
CVE-2023-3972
CVSS 3.1
7.8 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Weakness
CWE-379
Updated
2026-11-02
OSVRHSA-2023:6264 7.8

Red Hat Security Advisory: insights-client security update

Record
RHSA-2023:6264
CVSS 3.1
7.8 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Updated
2026-11-02
Show 7 moreShow less
OSVRHSA-2023:6282 7.8

Red Hat Security Advisory: insights-client security update

Record
RHSA-2023:6282
CVSS 3.1
7.8 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Updated
2026-11-02
OSVRHSA-2023:6283 7.8

Red Hat Security Advisory: insights-client security update

Record
RHSA-2023:6283
CVSS 3.1
7.8 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Updated
2026-11-02
OSVRHSA-2023:6284 7.8

Red Hat Security Advisory: insights-client security update

Record
RHSA-2023:6284
CVSS 3.1
7.8 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Updated
2026-11-02
OSVRHSA-2023:6795 7.8

Red Hat Security Advisory: insights-client security update

Record
RHSA-2023:6795
CVSS 3.1
7.8 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Updated
2026-11-02
OSVRHSA-2023:6796 7.8

Red Hat Security Advisory: insights-client security update

Record
RHSA-2023:6796
CVSS 3.1
7.8 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Updated
2026-11-02
OSVRHSA-2023:6798 7.8

Red Hat Security Advisory: insights-client security update

Record
RHSA-2023:6798
CVSS 3.1
7.8 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Updated
2026-11-02
OSVRHSA-2023:6811 7.8

Red Hat Security Advisory: insights-client security update

Record
RHSA-2023:6811
CVSS 3.1
7.8 HighCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Updated
2026-11-02

Affected products

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Affected packages

Affected packages
PackageAffectedFixed
insights-client
Red Hat:rhel_aus:8.2::appstream
before 0:3.2.3-1.el8_2
0:3.2.3-1.el8_2
insights-client
Red Hat:rhel_e4s:8.2::appstream
before 0:3.2.3-1.el8_2
0:3.2.3-1.el8_2
insights-client
Red Hat:rhel_tus:8.2::appstream
before 0:3.2.3-1.el8_2
0:3.2.3-1.el8_2
insights-client
Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::appstream
before 0:3.2.2-1.el9_2
0:3.2.2-1.el9_2
insights-client
Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::appstream
before 0:3.2.2-1.el8_8
0:3.2.2-1.el8_8
insights-client
Red Hat:rhel_eus:8.6::appstream
before 0:3.2.2-1.el8_6
0:3.2.2-1.el8_6
insights-client
Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client
before 0:3.1.9-1.el7_9
0:3.1.9-1.el7_9
insights-client
Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::server
before 0:3.1.9-1.el7_9
0:3.1.9-1.el7_9
insights-client
Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::workstation
before 0:3.1.9-1.el7_9
0:3.1.9-1.el7_9
insights-client
Red Hat:rhel_eus:9.0::appstream
before 0:3.2.2-1.el9_0
0:3.2.2-1.el9_0
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Affected packages
PackageAffectedFixed
insights-client
Red Hat:rhel_aus:8.4::appstream
before 0:3.2.3-1.el8_4
0:3.2.3-1.el8_4
insights-client
Red Hat:rhel_e4s:8.4::appstream
before 0:3.2.3-1.el8_4
0:3.2.3-1.el8_4
insights-client
Red Hat:rhel_tus:8.4::appstream
before 0:3.2.3-1.el8_4
0:3.2.3-1.el8_4
insights-client
Red Hat:rhel_e4s:8.1::appstream
before 0:3.2.3-1.el8_1
0:3.2.3-1.el8_1

History

History
RecordedChangedSources
factsEUVD
first indexedCVE List, EUVD, GitHub Advisories, NVD, OSV

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

In short

CVE-2023-3972 is a high vulnerability (CVSS 7.8) in Redhat Insights-client, published November 1, 2023. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 0.27%, the 19th percentile. Fixed in insights-client 0:3.2.3-1.el8_2.

References

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