CVE-2012-4425

spice-gtk - Privilege Escalation via DBUS_SYSTEM_BUS_ADDRESS Environment Variable

Title source: llm
STIX 2.1

Exploitation Summary

EIP tracks 1 public exploit for CVE-2012-4425. PoCs published by Sebastian Krahmer.

AI-analyzed exploit summary This exploit leverages insecure getenv() usage in SUID binaries (spice, pam_systemd, or Xorg) to escalate privileges by manipulating environment variables and executing a malicious dbus-launch symlink. It demonstrates a local privilege escalation (LPE) via improper handling of environment variables in system utilities.

Description

libgio, when used in setuid or other privileged programs in spice-gtk and possibly other products, allows local users to gain privileges and execute arbitrary code via the DBUS_SYSTEM_BUS_ADDRESS environment variable. NOTE: it could be argued that this is a vulnerability in the applications that do not cleanse environment variables, not in libgio itself.

Exploits (1)

exploitdb WORKING POC
by Sebastian Krahmer · clocallinux
https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/21323

This exploit leverages insecure getenv() usage in SUID binaries (spice, pam_systemd, or Xorg) to escalate privileges by manipulating environment variables and executing a malicious dbus-launch symlink. It demonstrates a local privilege escalation (LPE) via improper handling of environment variables in system utilities.

Classification
Working Poc 100%
Attack Type
Lpe
Complexity
Moderate
Reliability
Reliable
Target: SUID binaries (spice-gtk, pam_systemd, Xorg)
No auth needed
Prerequisites: Presence of vulnerable SUID binaries (spice, pam_systemd, or Xorg) · Write access to /tmp
devstral-2 · analyzed Feb 18, 2026 Full analysis →

References (9)

Core 9
Core References
Vendor Advisory vendor-advisory x_refsource_redhat
http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2012-1284.html
Mailing List mailing-list x_refsource_mlist
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2012/09/12/6
Exploit mailing-list x_refsource_mlist
http://www.spinics.net/lists/spice-devel/msg01940.html
Mailing List mailing-list x_refsource_mlist
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2012/09/17/2
Exploit exploit x_refsource_exploit-db
http://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/21323
Issue Tracking x_refsource_misc
https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=857283
Mailing List mailing-list x_refsource_mlist
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2012/09/14/2
Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry vdb-entry x_refsource_bid
http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/55555

Scores

EPSS 0.0109
EPSS Percentile 61.0%

Details

CWE
CWE-264
Status published
Products (2)
freedesktop/spice-gtk
gtk/libgio
Published Sep 18, 2012
Tracked Since Feb 18, 2026