CVE-2010-3847

glibc LD_AUDIT Arbitrary DSO Load Privilege Escalation

Title source: metasploit
STIX 2.1

Exploitation Summary

EIP tracks 7 public exploits for CVE-2010-3847. PoCs published by Metasploit, magisterquis, Tavis Ormandy, zx2c4, I Can, t Race You Either, Marco Ivaldi, Todor Donev, bcoles, including Metasploit module exploits/linux/local/glibc_ld_audit_dso_load_priv_esc.

AI-analyzed exploit summary This Metasploit module exploits CVE-2010-3856, a privilege escalation vulnerability in glibc's dynamic linker by abusing the LD_AUDIT environment variable to load arbitrary shared objects with elevated privileges. It leverages libpcprofile.so to create a root-owned file in a trusted library path, which is then overwritten with a malicious shared object for code execution.

Description

elf/dl-load.c in ld.so in the GNU C Library (aka glibc or libc6) through 2.11.2, and 2.12.x through 2.12.1, does not properly handle a value of $ORIGIN for the LD_AUDIT environment variable, which allows local users to gain privileges via a crafted dynamic shared object (DSO) located in an arbitrary directory.

Exploits (7)

exploitdb WORKING POC VERIFIED
by Metasploit · rubylocallinux
https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/44025

This Metasploit module exploits CVE-2010-3856, a privilege escalation vulnerability in glibc's dynamic linker by abusing the LD_AUDIT environment variable to load arbitrary shared objects with elevated privileges. It leverages libpcprofile.so to create a root-owned file in a trusted library path, which is then overwritten with a malicious shared object for code execution.

Classification
Working Poc 100%
Attack Type
Lpe
Complexity
Moderate
Reliability
Reliable
Target: glibc versions before 2.11.3 and 2.12.x before 2.12.2
No auth needed
Prerequisites: Presence of libpcprofile.so in the system's library search path · A setuid executable to abuse (default: /bin/ping) · Write permissions in a directory (default: /tmp)
devstral-2 · analyzed Feb 16, 2026 Full analysis →
exploitdb WORKING POC VERIFIED
by Metasploit · rubylocallinux
https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/44024

This Metasploit module exploits CVE-2010-3847, a privilege escalation vulnerability in glibc's dynamic linker. It abuses the $ORIGIN expansion via LD_AUDIT to execute arbitrary shared objects, gaining root privileges by replacing a setuid binary with a malicious shared object.

Classification
Working Poc 100%
Attack Type
Lpe
Complexity
Moderate
Reliability
Reliable
Target: glibc (versions before 2.11.3 and 2.12.x before 2.12.2)
No auth needed
Prerequisites: A setuid binary readable by the attacker · A writable directory on the same partition as the setuid binary
devstral-2 · analyzed Feb 16, 2026 Full analysis →
nomisec WORKING POC
by magisterquis · poc
https://github.com/magisterquis/cve-2010-3847

This repository contains a functional exploit for CVE-2010-3847, a local privilege escalation vulnerability in the Linux kernel. The exploit leverages a race condition in the kernel's handling of file descriptors to execute arbitrary code with elevated privileges.

Classification
Working Poc 95%
Attack Type
Lpe
Complexity
Moderate
Reliability
Racy
Target: Linux kernel (versions affected by CVE-2010-3847)
No auth needed
Prerequisites: Local access to the target system · Kernel version vulnerable to CVE-2010-3847
devstral-2 · analyzed Feb 18, 2026 Full analysis →
metasploit WORKING POC EXCELLENT
by Tavis Ormandy, zx2c4, I Can, t Race You Either, Marco Ivaldi, Todor Donev, bcoles · rubypoclinux
https://github.com/rapid7/metasploit-framework/blob/master/modules/exploits/linux/local/glibc_ld_audit_dso_load_priv_esc.rb

This Metasploit module exploits CVE-2010-3847, a privilege escalation vulnerability in glibc's dynamic linker. It abuses the LD_AUDIT environment variable to load arbitrary shared objects with elevated privileges, leveraging libpcprofile.so to achieve root access.

Classification
Working Poc 100%
Attack Type
Lpe
Complexity
Moderate
Reliability
Reliable
Target: glibc (versions before 2.11.3 and 2.12.x before 2.12.2)
No auth needed
Prerequisites: Access to a vulnerable Linux system with a SUID executable · Presence of libpcprofile.so in the system library search path
devstral-2 · analyzed Apr 23, 2026 Full analysis →
exploitdb WRITEUP
locallinux
https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/15274

This is a detailed technical analysis of CVE-2010-3847, explaining how the GNU C library dynamic linker incorrectly expands $ORIGIN in setuid library search paths, leading to privilege escalation. The writeup includes code paths, exploitation steps, and mitigation strategies.

Classification
Writeup 100%
Attack Type
Lpe
Complexity
Moderate
Reliability
Reliable
Target: GNU C Library (glibc) versions 2.5, 2.12.1, and possibly others
No auth needed
Prerequisites: Access to a system with vulnerable glibc · Ability to create hardlinks and manipulate directories
devstral-2 · analyzed Feb 19, 2026 Full analysis →
exploitdb WRITEUP
locallinux
https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/15304

This advisory details CVE-2010-3847, a vulnerability in the GNU C library dynamic linker where LD_AUDIT can load arbitrary DSOs during setuid execution, potentially leading to privilege escalation. It includes a technical analysis, exploitation steps, and mitigation guidance.

Classification
Writeup 100%
Attack Type
Lpe
Complexity
Moderate
Reliability
Reliable
Target: GNU C Library (glibc) versions 2.5, 2.11.1, 2.12.1, and 2.7
No auth needed
Prerequisites: Access to a system with vulnerable glibc · Ability to place a malicious DSO in a trusted library path
devstral-2 · analyzed Feb 19, 2026 Full analysis →
metasploit WORKING POC EXCELLENT
by Tavis Ormandy, bcoles · rubypoclinux
https://github.com/rapid7/metasploit-framework/blob/master/modules/exploits/linux/local/glibc_origin_expansion_priv_esc.rb

This Metasploit module exploits CVE-2010-3847, a privilege escalation vulnerability in glibc's dynamic linker. It abuses the $ORIGIN expansion feature via LD_AUDIT to execute arbitrary shared objects, gaining root privileges.

Classification
Working Poc 100%
Attack Type
Lpe
Complexity
Moderate
Reliability
Reliable
Target: glibc (versions before 2.11.3 and 2.12.x before 2.12.2)
No auth needed
Prerequisites: A setuid executable readable by the attacker · A writable directory on the same partition as the setuid executable
devstral-2 · analyzed Feb 16, 2026 Full analysis →

References (21)

Core 21
Core References
Third Party Advisory vendor-advisory x_refsource_gentoo
http://security.gentoo.org/glsa/glsa-201011-01.xml
Vendor Advisory x_refsource_confirm
http://support.avaya.com/css/P8/documents/100120941
Exploit mailing-list x_refsource_fulldisc
http://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2010/Oct/257
Vendor Advisory vendor-advisory x_refsource_redhat
http://www.redhat.com/support/errata/RHSA-2010-0872.html
Vendor Advisory vendor-advisory x_refsource_mandriva
http://www.mandriva.com/security/advisories?name=MDVSA-2010:207
Exploit, Third Party Advisory exploit x_refsource_exploit-db
https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/44025/
Exploit, Third Party Advisory exploit x_refsource_exploit-db
https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/44024/
Third Party Advisory vendor-advisory x_refsource_debian
http://www.debian.org/security/2010/dsa-2122
Vendor Advisory vendor-advisory x_refsource_ubuntu
http://www.ubuntu.com/usn/USN-1009-1
Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry mailing-list x_refsource_bugtraq
http://www.securityfocus.com/archive/1/515545/100/0/threaded
Vendor Advisory vendor-advisory x_refsource_redhat
https://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2010-0787.html
Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry vdb-entry x_refsource_bid
http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/44154
Mailing List mailing-list x_refsource_fulldisc
http://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2010/Oct/294
Vendor Advisory third-party-advisory x_refsource_secunia
http://secunia.com/advisories/42787
Vendor Advisory vdb-entry x_refsource_vupen
http://www.vupen.com/english/advisories/2011/0025
Patch mailing-list x_refsource_mlist
http://sourceware.org/ml/libc-hacker/2010-10/msg00007.html
Mailing List mailing-list x_refsource_fulldisc
http://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2010/Oct/292
US Government Resource third-party-advisory x_refsource_cert-vn
http://www.kb.cert.org/vuls/id/537223

Scores

EPSS 0.1237
EPSS Percentile 94.1%

Details

CWE
CWE-59
Status published
Products (50)
gnu/glibc 1.00
gnu/glibc 1.01
gnu/glibc 1.02
gnu/glibc 1.03
gnu/glibc 1.04
gnu/glibc 1.05
gnu/glibc 1.06
gnu/glibc 1.07
gnu/glibc 1.08
gnu/glibc 1.09
... and 40 more
Published Jan 07, 2011
Tracked Since Feb 18, 2026