CVE-2016-2568: pkexec, when used with --user nonpriv, allows local users to escape to the parent session
CSIRTS triage
- What
- pkexec with --user flag allows local users to escape the target session and return to the parent session with elevated privileges.
- Who is affected
- Systems with Polkit installed where unprivileged users can execute pkexec with --user parameter.
- Urgency
- High; CVSS 7.8 and local privilege escalation with straightforward exploitation path.
- Action
- Upgrade Polkit to a version that fixes session boundary enforcement or disable pkexec --user functionality.
AI-assisted analysis generated from the source advisory — verify against the original.
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Details
Original advisory: https://msrc.microsoft.com/update-guide/vulnerability/CVE-2016-2568
Exploitation outlook
EPSS (FIRST.org) estimates each CVE’s probability of exploitation in the next 30 days — here is the CSIRTS.com read on those numbers.
- Low exploitation riskCVE-2016-25680.35% 30-day exploitation probability — currently an unlikely target, but scores change as exploit code circulates. Riskier than 28% of all EPSS-scored CVEs.
Referenced CVEs
| CVE | CSIRTS overview | External |
|---|---|---|
| CVE-2016-2568 | coverage & exploitation status | NVD · CVE.org |
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