CVE-2017-14159
slapd in OpenLDAP 2.4.45 and earlier creates a PID file after dropping privileges to a non-root...
slapd in OpenLDAP 2.4.45 and earlier creates a PID file after dropping privileges to a non-root account, which might allow local users to kill arbitrary processes by leveraging access to this non-root account for PID file modification before a root script executes a "kill cat /pathname" command, as demonstrated by openldap-initscript.
Attack profile
How easy it is to exploit
- Attack vector
- Local
- Complexity
- High
- Privileges needed
- Low
- User interaction
- None
What an attacker can affect
- Confidentiality
- None
- Integrity
- None
- Availability
- High
Exploit likelihood
What each source reports
NVD Score used
slapd in OpenLDAP 2.4.45 and earlier creates a PID file after dropping privileges to a non-root account, which might allow local users to kill arbitrary processes by leveraging access to this non-root account for PID file modification before a root script executes a "kill cat /pathname" command, as demonstrated by openldap-initscript.
- Record
CVE-2017-14159- CVSS 3.1
- 4.7 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H - CVSS 2.0
- 1.9 Low
AV:L/AC:M/Au:N/C:N/I:N/A:P - Weakness
- CWE-665
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
CVE List No score
slapd in OpenLDAP 2.4.45 and earlier creates a PID file after dropping privileges to a non-root account, which might allow local users to kill arbitrary processes by leveraging access to this non-root account for PID file modification before a root script executes a "kill cat /pathname" command, as demonstrated by openldap-initscript.
- Record
CVE-2017-14159- Updated
- 2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2017-5669 No score
slapd in OpenLDAP 2.4.45 and earlier creates a PID file after dropping privileges to a non-root account, which might allow local users to kill arbitrary processes by leveraging access to this non-root account for PID file modification before a root script executes a "kill cat /pathname" command, as demonstrated by openldap-initscript.
- Record
EUVD-2017-5669- Updated
- 2026-11-03
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-xxfr-gfjr-h844
slapd in OpenLDAP 2.4.45 and earlier creates a PID file after dropping privileges to a non-root...
slapd in OpenLDAP 2.4.45 and earlier creates a PID file after dropping privileges to a non-root account, which might allow local users to kill arbitrary processes by leveraging access to this non-root account for PID file modification before a root script executes a "kill cat /pathname" command, as demonstrated by openldap-initscript.
- Record
GHSA-xxfr-gfjr-h844- CVSS 3.0
- 4.7 Medium
CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-665
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVALPINE-CVE-2017-14159
slapd in OpenLDAP 2.4.45 and earlier creates a PID file after dropping privileges to a non-root account, which might allow local users to kill arbitrary processes by leveraging access to this non-root account for PID file modification before a root script executes a "kill cat /pathname" command, as demonstrated by openldap-initscript.
- Record
ALPINE-CVE-2017-14159- CVSS 3.1
- 4.7 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H - Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVBELL-CVE-2017-14159
CVE-2017-14159 does not affect BellSoft software
- Record
BELL-CVE-2017-14159- CVSS 3.1
- 4.7 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H - Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSV
slapd in OpenLDAP 2.4.45 and earlier creates a PID file after dropping privileges to a non-root account, which might allow local users to kill arbitrary processes by leveraging access to this non-root account for PID file modification before a root script executes a "kill cat /pathname" command, as demonstrated by openldap-initscript.
- Record
CVE-2017-14159- CVSS 3.1
- 4.7 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H - Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVDEBIAN-CVE-2017-14159
slapd in OpenLDAP 2.4.45 and earlier creates a PID file after dropping privileges to a non-root account, which might allow local users to kill arbitrary processes by leveraging access to this non-root account for PID file modification before a root script executes a "kill cat /pathname" command, as demonstrated by openldap-initscript.
- Record
DEBIAN-CVE-2017-14159- CVSS 3.1
- 4.7 Medium
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H - Updated
- 2026-11-02
Affected products
Affected packages
| Package | Affected | Fixed |
|---|---|---|
openldapAlpine:v3.10 |
before 2.4.46-r0 | 2.4.46-r0 |
openldapAlpine:v3.11 |
before 2.4.46-r0 | 2.4.46-r0 |
openldapAlpine:v3.12 |
before 2.4.46-r0 | 2.4.46-r0 |
openldapAlpine:v3.13 |
before 2.4.46-r0 | 2.4.46-r0 |
openldapAlpine:v3.14 |
before 2.4.46-r0 | 2.4.46-r0 |
openldapAlpine:v3.15 |
before 2.4.46-r0 | 2.4.46-r0 |
openldapAlpine:v3.16 |
before 2.4.46-r0 | 2.4.46-r0 |
openldapAlpine:v3.17 |
before 2.4.46-r0 | 2.4.46-r0 |
openldapAlpine:v3.18 |
before 2.4.46-r0 | 2.4.46-r0 |
openldapAlpine:v3.19 |
before 2.4.46-r0 | 2.4.46-r0 |
Show 11 moreShow less
| Package | Affected | Fixed |
|---|---|---|
openldapAlpine:v3.20 |
before 2.4.46-r0 | 2.4.46-r0 |
openldapAlpine:v3.21 |
before 2.4.46-r0 | 2.4.46-r0 |
openldapAlpine:v3.22 |
before 2.4.46-r0 | 2.4.46-r0 |
openldapAlpine:v3.23 |
before 2.4.46-r0 | 2.4.46-r0 |
openldapAlpine:v3.24 |
before 2.4.46-r0 | 2.4.46-r0 |
openldapAlpine:v3.7 |
before 2.4.46-r0 | 2.4.46-r0 |
openldapAlpine:v3.8 |
before 2.4.46-r0 | 2.4.46-r0 |
openldapAlpine:v3.9 |
before 2.4.46-r0 | 2.4.46-r0 |
openldapDebian:12 |
All versions, plus listed versions 1:1.2.12-12.5.13+dfsg-52.5.13+dfsg-5+loong642.5.16+dfsg-12.5.16+dfsg-2 Show 27 moreShow less2.5.17+dfsg-12.5.18+dfsg-12.5.18+dfsg-22.5.18+dfsg-32.5.19+dfsg-12.6.10+dfsg-12.6.13+dfsg-12.6.14+dfsg-12.6.14+dfsg-22.6.2+dfsg-1~exp12.6.2+dfsg-1~exp22.6.3+dfsg-1~exp12.6.4+dfsg-1~exp12.6.5+dfsg-1~exp12.6.6+dfsg-1~exp12.6.6+dfsg-1~exp22.6.7+dfsg-1~exp12.6.8+dfsg-1~exp12.6.8+dfsg-1~exp22.6.8+dfsg-1~exp32.6.8+dfsg-1~exp42.6.9+dfsg-12.6.9+dfsg-1~exp12.6.9+dfsg-1~exp22.6.9+dfsg-22:1.2.12.1-12:1.2.12.1-1.0.1 |
None known |
openldapDebian:13 |
All versions, plus listed versions 1:1.2.12-12.6.10+dfsg-12.6.13+dfsg-12.6.14+dfsg-12.6.14+dfsg-22:1.2.12.1-12:1.2.12.1-1.0.1 |
None known |
openldapDebian:14 |
All versions, plus listed versions 1:1.2.12-12.6.10+dfsg-12.6.13+dfsg-12.6.14+dfsg-12.6.14+dfsg-22:1.2.12.1-12:1.2.12.1-1.0.1 |
None known |
History
| Recorded | Changed | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| 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-2017-14159 is a medium vulnerability (CVSS 4.7) in Openldap, published September 5, 2017. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 0.35%, the 28th percentile. Fixed in openldap 2.4.46-r0.