CVE-2018-12029

Name: CVE-2018-12029
Creator: NVD / NIST
Published: 2018-06-17T20:29:00.493+00:00
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/

UnknownEPSS 0.28%

Last modified Jun 17, 2026

CVE-2018-12029 is a vulnerability of currently unknown severity. A race condition in the nginx module in Phusion Passenger 3.x through 5.x before 5.3.2 allows local escalation of privileges when a non-standard passenger_instance_registry_dir with insufficiently strict permissions is configured. Replacing a file with a symlink after the file was created, but before it was chowned, leads to the target of the link being chowned via the path. EPSS estimates a 0.28% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days.

Description

A race condition in the nginx module in Phusion Passenger 3.x through 5.x before 5.3.2 allows local escalation of privileges when a non-standard passenger_instance_registry_dir with insufficiently strict permissions is configured. Replacing a file with a symlink after the file was created, but before it was chowned, leads to the target of the link being chowned via the path. Targeting sensitive files such as root's crontab file allows privilege escalation.

Metrics

EPSS Probability

0.28%

19.3th percentile

Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days. Learn more

Weakness Enumeration

CWE-362

Affected Software

Vendor	Product	Versions
Phusion	Passenger	>= 3.0.0, < 5.3.2
Debian	Debian Linux	8.0

References

https://blog.phusion.nl/passenger-5-3-2Mitigation, Vendor Advisory
https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2018/06/msg00007.htmlMailing List, Third Party Advisory
https://pulsesecurity.co.nz/advisories/phusion-passenger-priv-escThird Party Advisory
https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/201807-02Third Party Advisory
https://blog.phusion.nl/passenger-5-3-2Mitigation, Vendor Advisory
https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2018/06/msg00007.htmlMailing List, Third Party Advisory
https://pulsesecurity.co.nz/advisories/phusion-passenger-priv-escThird Party Advisory
https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/201807-02Third Party Advisory

Timeline

Published: Jun 17, 2018
Last Modified: Jun 17, 2026
Status: Modified

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2018-12029?

How severe is CVE-2018-12029?

Severity scoring for CVE-2018-12029 is pending analysis. The EPSS model estimates a 0.28% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

How do I fix CVE-2018-12029?

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-2018-12029?

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

Scan your code now

Source: NVD / NIST