CVE-2015-3246
MEDIUMCISA KEVEPSS 95th pctlDescription
libuser before 0.56.13-8 and 0.60 before 0.60-7, as used in the userhelper program in the usermode package, directly modifies /etc/passwd, which allows local users to cause a denial of service (inconsistent file state) by causing an error during the modification. NOTE: this issue can be combined with CVE-2015-3245 to gain privileges.
How to fix
TridentStack Control can deploy fixes like this automatically across your Windows, macOS, and Linux fleet. See how it works
Remediation is compiled from vendor and distribution security advisories. Always confirm against the linked source for your exact version and platform.
CVSS v3 Vector
Exploitability
Impact
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
Exploit Intelligence
High risk: more likely to be exploited than 95% of all known CVEs.
Remediation due: 2026-09-09
References
Related Vulnerabilities
Other CWE-264 (Permissions, Privileges, and Access Controls) vulnerabilities, ordered by exploit likelihood. View all
| CVE | Severity | CVSS | EPSS | Exploited | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CVE-2012-1456 | Medium | 4.3 | 100% | - | - |
| CVE-2012-1459 | Medium | 4.3 | 100% | - | Fix |
| CVE-2012-1446 | Medium | 4.3 | 100% | - | - |
| CVE-2012-1443 | Medium | 4.3 | 100% | - | - |
| CVE-2012-1442 | Medium | 4.3 | 99% | - | - |
| CVE-2012-1457 | Medium | 4.3 | 98% | - | Fix |
Common questions
How do I fix CVE-2015-3246?
Upgrade libuser on debian 11 to 1:0.62~dfsg-0.1 or later.
Is CVE-2015-3246 being actively exploited?
Yes. CVE-2015-3246 is listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog, which means exploitation has been observed in the wild. US federal agencies were required to remediate it by 2026-09-09. Treat it as a priority whatever its CVSS score says.
How severe is CVE-2015-3246?
CVE-2015-3246 has a CVSS v3 base score of 5.1, rated medium. CVSS rates the technical impact if the vulnerability is exploited, not how likely that is, so weigh it alongside the exploit-prediction score when you decide what to patch first.
What does CVE-2015-3246 affect?
Published advisories record a fix for libuser (Debian). Only products with a sourced advisory are listed, so treat this as what we can cite rather than a complete inventory.
Embed a live status badge for CVE-2015-3246
Markdown
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This product uses NVD data but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. EPSS scores courtesy of FIRST.org (https://www.first.org/epss). Source: CISA KEV Catalog. Data as of 2026-08-27.