CVE-2013-4559
lighttpd before 1.4.33 does not check the return value of the (1) setuid, (2) setgid, or (3)...
lighttpd before 1.4.33 does not check the return value of the (1) setuid, (2) setgid, or (3) setgroups functions, which might cause lighttpd to run as root if it is restarted and allows remote attackers to gain privileges, as demonstrated by multiple calls to the clone function that cause setuid to fail when the user process limit is reached.
Exploit likelihood
What each source reports
NVD Score used
7.6
lighttpd before 1.4.33 does not check the return value of the (1) setuid, (2) setgid, or (3) setgroups functions, which might cause lighttpd to run as root if it is restarted and allows remote attackers to gain privileges, as demonstrated by multiple calls to the clone function that cause setuid to fail when the user process limit is reached.
- Record
CVE-2013-4559- CVSS 2.0
- 7.6 High
AV:N/AC:H/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C - Weakness
- CWE-264
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
CVE List No score
lighttpd before 1.4.33 does not check the return value of the (1) setuid, (2) setgid, or (3) setgroups functions, which might cause lighttpd to run as root if it is restarted and allows remote attackers to gain privileges, as demonstrated by multiple calls to the clone function that cause setuid to fail when the user process limit is reached.
- Record
CVE-2013-4559- Updated
- 2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2013-4418 No score
lighttpd before 1.4.33 does not check the return value of the (1) setuid, (2) setgid, or (3) setgroups functions, which might cause lighttpd to run as root if it is restarted and allows remote attackers to gain privileges, as demonstrated by multiple calls to the clone function that cause setuid to fail when the user process limit is reached.
- Record
EUVD-2013-4418- Updated
- 2026-11-03
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-pfcc-94ff-p2cv No score
lighttpd before 1.4.33 does not check the return value of the (1) setuid, (2) setgid, or (3)...
lighttpd before 1.4.33 does not check the return value of the (1) setuid, (2) setgid, or (3) setgroups functions, which might cause lighttpd to run as root if it is restarted and allows remote attackers to gain privileges, as demonstrated by multiple calls to the clone function that cause setuid to fail when the user process limit is reached.
- Record
GHSA-pfcc-94ff-p2cv- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSV No score
lighttpd before 1.4.33 does not check the return value of the (1) setuid, (2) setgid, or (3) setgroups functions, which might cause lighttpd to run as root if it is restarted and allows remote attackers to gain privileges, as demonstrated by multiple calls to the clone function that cause setuid to fail when the user process limit is reached.
- Record
CVE-2013-4559- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVDEBIAN-CVE-2013-4559 No score
lighttpd before 1.4.33 does not check the return value of the (1) setuid, (2) setgid, or (3) setgroups functions, which might cause lighttpd to run as root if it is restarted and allows remote attackers to gain privileges, as demonstrated by multiple calls to the clone function that cause setuid to fail when the user process limit is reached.
- Record
DEBIAN-CVE-2013-4559- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVMGASA-2013-0334 No score
Updated lighttpd packages fix multiple security vulnerbilities
Updated lighttpd packages fix security vulnerabilities:
lighttpd before 1.4.34, when SNI is enabled, configures weak SSL ciphers, which makes it easier for remote attackers to hijack sessions by inserting packets into the client-server data stream or obtain sensitive information by sniffing the network (CVE-2013-4508).
In lighttpd before 1.4.34, if setuid() fails for any reason, for instance if an environment limits the number of processes a user can have and the target uid already is at the limit, lighttpd will run as root. A user who can run CGI scripts could clone() often; in this case a lighttpd restart would end up with lighttpd running as root, and the CGI scripts would run as root too (CVE-2013-4559).
In lighttpd before 1.4.34, if "fam" is enabled and there are directories reachable from configured doc roots and aliases on which FAMMonitorDirectory fails, a remote client could trigger a DoS (CVE-2013-4560).
- Record
MGASA-2013-0334- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVopenSUSE-SU-2024:10402-1 No score
lighttpd-1.4.37-1.6 on GA media
These are all security issues fixed in the lighttpd-1.4.37-1.6 package on the GA media of openSUSE Tumbleweed.
- Record
openSUSE-SU-2024:10402-1- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVUBUNTU-CVE-2013-4559 No score
lighttpd before 1.4.33 does not check the return value of the (1) setuid, (2) setgid, or (3) setgroups functions, which might cause lighttpd to run as root if it is restarted and allows remote attackers to gain privileges, as demonstrated by multiple calls to the clone function that cause setuid to fail when the user process limit is reached.
- Record
UBUNTU-CVE-2013-4559- Updated
- 2026-11-02
Affected products
Affected packages
| Package | Affected | Fixed |
|---|---|---|
lighttpdDebian:12 |
before 1.4.33-1+nmu1 | 1.4.33-1+nmu1 |
lighttpdDebian:13 |
before 1.4.33-1+nmu1 | 1.4.33-1+nmu1 |
lighttpdDebian:14 |
before 1.4.33-1+nmu1 | 1.4.33-1+nmu1 |
lighttpdDebian:6.0 From an advisory covering 3 CVEs |
before 1.4.28-2+squeeze1.4, plus listed versions 1.4.28-21.4.28-2+squeeze11.4.28-2+squeeze1.11.4.28-2+squeeze1.21.4.28-2+squeeze1.3 |
1.4.28-2+squeeze1.4 |
lighttpdDebian:7 From an advisory covering 3 CVEs |
before 1.4.31-4+deb7u1, plus listed versions 1.4.31-4 |
1.4.31-4+deb7u1 |
lighttpdMageia:2 From an advisory covering 3 CVEs |
before 1.4.30-5.3.mga2 | 1.4.30-5.3.mga2 |
lighttpdMageia:3 From an advisory covering 3 CVEs |
before 1.4.32-3.6.mga3 | 1.4.32-3.6.mga3 |
lighttpdopenSUSE:Tumbleweed From an advisory covering 8 CVEs |
before 1.4.37-1.6 | 1.4.37-1.6 |
History
| Recorded | Changed | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| affected, facts | ||
| affected | ||
| aliases | EUVD | |
| first indexed | CVE List, GitHub Advisories, NVD, OSV |
Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.
In short
CVE-2013-4559 is a high vulnerability (CVSS 7.6) in Lighttpd, published November 13, 2013. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 10.7%, the 95th percentile. Fixed in lighttpd 1.4.33-1+nmu1.
References
secunia.com/advisories/55682
marc.info?l=bugtraq&m=141576815022399&w=2
download.lighttpd.net/lighttpd/security/lighttpd_sa_2013_02.txt
lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-updates/2014-01/msg00049.html
debian.org/security/2013/dsa-2795
openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2013/11/12/4
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kc.mcafee.com/corporate/index?page=content&id=SB10310
jvn.jp/en/jp/JVN37417423/index.html
nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2013-4559
github.com/advisories/GHSA-pfcc-94ff-p2cv
security-tracker.debian.org/tracker/CVE-2013-4559
advisories.mageia.org/MGASA-2013-0334.html
download.lighttpd.net/lighttpd/security/lighttpd_sa_2013_01.txt
download.lighttpd.net/lighttpd/security/lighttpd_sa_2013_03.txt
bugs.mageia.org/show_bug.cgi?id=11662
ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2013-4559
lists.debian.org/debian-security-announce/2013/msg00207.html
cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2013-4559
suse.com/security/cve/CVE-2010-0295
suse.com/security/cve/CVE-2011-4362
suse.com/security/cve/CVE-2012-5533
suse.com/security/cve/CVE-2013-4508
suse.com/security/cve/CVE-2013-4559
suse.com/security/cve/CVE-2013-4560
suse.com/security/cve/CVE-2014-2323
suse.com/security/cve/CVE-2014-2324