CVE-2011-4122

OpenPAM <r478 - Privilege Escalation

Title source: llm
STIX 2.1

Exploitation Summary

EIP tracks 1 public exploit for CVE-2011-4122. PoCs published by IKCE.

AI-analyzed exploit summary This exploit leverages a local privilege escalation vulnerability in OpenPAM by abusing the `kcheckpass` binary's handling of user-provided service arguments. It creates a malicious PAM module and service file to execute arbitrary code with superuser privileges.

Description

Directory traversal vulnerability in openpam_configure.c in OpenPAM before r478 on FreeBSD 8.1 allows local users to load arbitrary DSOs and gain privileges via a .. (dot dot) in the service_name argument to the pam_start function, as demonstrated by a .. in the -c option to kcheckpass.

Exploits (1)

exploitdb WORKING POC VERIFIED
by IKCE · perllocalbsd
https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/36296

This exploit leverages a local privilege escalation vulnerability in OpenPAM by abusing the `kcheckpass` binary's handling of user-provided service arguments. It creates a malicious PAM module and service file to execute arbitrary code with superuser privileges.

Classification
Working Poc 95%
Attack Type
Lpe
Complexity
Moderate
Reliability
Reliable
Target: OpenPAM (FreeBSD 8.1)
No auth needed
Prerequisites: Local access to the target system · Presence of vulnerable `kcheckpass` binary · Write permissions in `/tmp`
devstral-2 · analyzed Feb 16, 2026 Full analysis →

References (9)

Core 9
Core References
Various Sources x_refsource_misc
http://stealth.openwall.net/xSports/pamslam
Vendor Advisory third-party-advisory x_refsource_secunia
http://secunia.com/advisories/46756
Mailing List mailing-list x_refsource_mlist
http://openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2011/12/07/3
Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry vdb-entry x_refsource_xf
https://exchange.xforce.ibmcloud.com/vulnerabilities/71205
Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry vdb-entry x_refsource_osvdb
http://osvdb.org/76945
Mailing List mailing-list x_refsource_mlist
http://openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2011/12/08/9
Vendor Advisory third-party-advisory x_refsource_secunia
http://secunia.com/advisories/46804

Scores

EPSS 0.0037
EPSS Percentile 59.6%

Details

CWE
CWE-22
Status published
Products (1)
freebsd/freebsd 8.1
Published Nov 17, 2011
Tracked Since Feb 18, 2026