CVE-2025-1390

pam_cap: Fix potential configuration parsing error

Published Feb 18, 2025 CVSS 3.1 · 6.1 Medium EPSS < 1% KEV · Not listed
Description
The PAM module pam_cap.so of libcap configuration supports group names starting with “@”, during actual parsing, configurations not starting with “@” are incorrectly recognized as group names. This may result in nonintended users being granted an inherited capability set, potentially leading to security risks. Attackers can exploit this vulnerability to achieve local privilege escalation on systems where /etc/security/capability.conf is used to configure user inherited privileges by constructing specific usernames.

Remediation

Vendor Solution

https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/libs/libcap/libcap.git/commit/?id=1ad42b66c3567481cc5fa22fc1ba1556a31... https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/libs/libcap/libcap.git/commit/

Tracking

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Advisories

Source ID Title
Debian DLA Debian DLA DLA-4092-1 libcap2 security update
EUVD EUVD EUVD-2025-4857 The PAM module pam_cap.so of libcap configuration supports group names starting with “@”, during actual parsing, configurations not starting with “@” are incorrectly recognized as group names. This may result in nonintended users being granted an inherited capability set, potentially leading to security risks. Attackers can exploit this vulnerability to achieve local privilege escalation on systems where /etc/security/capability.conf is used to configure user inherited privileges by constructing specific usernames.
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-7287-1 libcap2 vulnerability
History
Type Values Removed Values Added
Metrics ssvc

{'options': {'Automatable': 'no', 'Exploitation': 'none', 'Technical Impact': 'partial'}, 'version': '2.0.3'}

Type Values Removed Values Added
Description The PAM module pam_cap.so of libcap configuration supports group names starting with “@”, during actual parsing, configurations not starting with “@” are incorrectly recognized as group names. This may result in nonintended users being granted an inherited capability set, potentially leading to security risks. Attackers can exploit this vulnerability to achieve local privilege escalation on systems where /etc/security/capability.conf is used to configure user inherited privileges by constructing specific usernames.
Title pam_cap: Fix potential configuration parsing error
Weaknesses CWE-284
References
Metrics cvssV3_1

{'score': 6.1, 'vector': 'CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:H/A:N'}

Subscriptions

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Weaknesses

Sources

Status
PUBLISHED
Assigner
Anolis
Published
Updated
Oct 15, 2026, 1:01 AM
Reserved
Feb 17, 2025, 6:36 AM
Status
Deferred
Published
Feb 18, 2025, 3:15 AM
Modified
Oct 15, 2026, 2:17 AM
Severity
Moderate
Public date
Feb 18, 2025, 2:34 AM