CVE-2016-5425

Name: CVE-2016-5425
Creator: NVD / NIST
Published: 2016-10-13T14:59:07.517+00:00
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/

HIGHCVSS 7.8/10EPSS 3.78%

Last modified Jun 17, 2026

CVE-2016-5425 is a high-severity vulnerability rated 7.8/10 on the CVSS scale. The Tomcat package on Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) 7, Fedora, CentOS, Oracle Linux, and possibly other Linux distributions uses weak permissions for /usr/lib/tmpfiles.d/tomcat.conf, which allows local users to gain root privileges by leveraging membership in the tomcat group.. EPSS estimates a 3.78% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days.

Description

The Tomcat package on Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) 7, Fedora, CentOS, Oracle Linux, and possibly other Linux distributions uses weak permissions for /usr/lib/tmpfiles.d/tomcat.conf, which allows local users to gain root privileges by leveraging membership in the tomcat group.

Metrics

CVSS 3.1

7.8/10

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

EPSS Probability

3.78%

88.6th percentile

Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days. Learn more

Weakness Enumeration

CWE-276

Affected Software

Vendor	Product	Versions
Apache	Tomcat	All versions

References

http://legalhackers.com/advisories/Tomcat-RedHat-Pkgs-Root-PrivEsc-Exploit-CVE-2016-5425.htmlExploit, Third Party Advisory
http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/139041/Apache-Tomcat-8-7-6-Privilege-Escalation.htmlExploit, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2016-2046.htmlThird Party Advisory
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2016/10/10/2Mailing List, Third Party Advisory
http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/topics/security/linuxbulletinoct2016-3090545.htmlThird Party Advisory
http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/93472Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
http://www.securitytracker.com/id/1036979Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/6b414817c2b0bf351138911c8c922ec5dd577ebc0b9a7f42d705752d%40%3Cissues.activemq.apache.org%3E
https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/40488/Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
https://www.oracle.com/technetwork/security-advisory/cpuoct2019-5072832.htmlThird Party Advisory
http://legalhackers.com/advisories/Tomcat-RedHat-Pkgs-Root-PrivEsc-Exploit-CVE-2016-5425.htmlExploit, Third Party Advisory
http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/139041/Apache-Tomcat-8-7-6-Privilege-Escalation.htmlExploit, Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2016-2046.htmlThird Party Advisory
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2016/10/10/2Mailing List, Third Party Advisory
http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/topics/security/linuxbulletinoct2016-3090545.htmlThird Party Advisory
http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/93472Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
http://www.securitytracker.com/id/1036979Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/6b414817c2b0bf351138911c8c922ec5dd577ebc0b9a7f42d705752d%40%3Cissues.activemq.apache.org%3E
https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/40488/Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
https://www.oracle.com/technetwork/security-advisory/cpuoct2019-5072832.htmlThird Party Advisory

Timeline

Published: Oct 13, 2016
Last Modified: Jun 17, 2026
Status: Modified

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2016-5425?

How severe is CVE-2016-5425?

CVE-2016-5425 has a CVSS score of 7.8/10 (HIGH severity). The EPSS model estimates a 3.78% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

How do I fix CVE-2016-5425?

Check the vendor references and advisories linked above for patched versions and mitigation guidance. You can also run a Strix scan to test if your systems are affected.

Are you affected by CVE-2016-5425?

Run a free Strix scan to check your systems for this vulnerability.

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Source: NVD / NIST