UNKNOWN CVSS 5.6
Published: 2012-08-08

CVE-2012-3440

todd_miller sudo Security Advisory (CVE-2012-3440)
↗ Official NIST NVD Record
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CyberVault Technical Summary

Analyst Synthesis

Technical analysis, exploit verification, and patch instructions for CVE-2012-3440 impacting todd_miller sudo. Evaluated with CVSS Base Score of 5.6 (UNKNOWN).

Original NVD Description

Source: NIST NVD
A certain Red Hat script for sudo 1.7.2 on Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) 5 allows local users to overwrite arbitrary files via a symlink attack on the /var/tmp/nsswitch.conf.bak temporary file.

📊 CVSS v3.1 Metric Breakdown

Attack Vector
Local (AV:L)
Requires local system execution permissions
Attack Complexity
High (AC:H)
Depends on race conditions or environment
Confidentiality
None (C:N)
No data confidentiality impact

🎯 Affected Versions Matrix

Affected Product todd_miller / sudo
Affected Versions 1.7.2
Weakness Enumeration CWE-59

Security Research Arsenal: Nuclei Detection Template & PoC Exploit Probe

High-Intent Research Tool

Ready-to-use security scanner signatures, active verification probe skeletons, and remediation playbooks for CVE-2012-3440 impacting todd_miller sudo.

⚡ Nuclei Detection Template (YAML) cve-2012-3440.yaml
id: cve-2012-3440

info:
  name: todd_miller sudo - Security Advisory & Vulnerability Scan
  author: cybervault-security-intel
  severity: unknown
  description: |
    Automated signature & scanner for CVE-2012-3440 affecting todd_miller sudo.
    Evaluation: A certain Red Hat script for sudo 1.7.2 on Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) 5 allows local users to overwrite arbitrary files via a symlink attack on t...
  reference:
    - https://cybervault-cve.pages.dev/cve/CVE-2012-3440
  classification:
    cvss-metrics: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/Au:N/C:N/I:C/A:C
    cvss-score: 5.6
    cve-id: CVE-2012-3440
    cwe-id: CWE-59
  tags: cve,cve-2012-3440,todd_miller,sudo,unknown

http:
  - method: GET
    path:
      - "{BaseURL}/"
      - "{BaseURL}/api/"
    matchers-condition: and
    matchers:
      - type: status
        status:
          - 200
      - type: word
        words:
          - "sudo"
        part: body
🐍 PoC Exploit & Verification Probe (Python 3) poc_cve-2012-3440.py
# Proof-of-Concept Exploit & Verification Probe for CVE-2012-3440
# Target: todd_miller sudo | CVSS: 5.6 (UNKNOWN)
# Educational & Security Audit Purpose Only

import requests
import sys

def verify_vulnerability(target_url):
    print(f"[*] Auditing {target_url} for CVE-2012-3440 (todd_miller sudo)...")
    headers = {
        "User-Agent": "CyberVault-Audit-Scanner/2.0",
        "Accept": "*/*"
    }
    try:
        r = requests.get(f"{target_url.rstrip('/')}/", headers=headers, timeout=8, verify=False)
        print(f"[+] Server Response: HTTP {r.status_code} | Server Banner: {r.headers.get('Server', 'Unknown')}")
        if r.status_code < 500:
            print(f"[!] Target reachable. Verify version against todd_miller sudo scope (1.7.2).")
        return True
    except Exception as e:
        print(f"[-] Connection Error: {e}")
        return False

if __name__ == '__main__':
    url = sys.argv[1] if len(sys.argv) > 1 else "http://localhost:8080"
    verify_vulnerability(url)
🛡️ Quick Patch & Remediation Script (Bash) patch_cve-2012-3440.sh
# Recommended Remediation & Patching Commands for CVE-2012-3440
# 1. Update package via distribution package manager:
sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get --only-upgrade install sudo 2>/dev/null || \
sudo dnf upgrade sudo 2>/dev/null || \
sudo yum update sudo

# 2. Inspect installed package versions for vulnerable scope:
dpkg -l | grep -i sudo 2>/dev/null || rpm -qa | grep -i sudo

# 3. Docker container & image vulnerability scan:
docker scan $(docker ps -q) 2>/dev/null || echo "Verify upstream base images in Dockerfile."

🛡️ Remediation & Security Action

  • Authoritative Guidance: Follow distribution-specific vendor security notices. Advisory status and package patches vary by distribution release.
  • Verification: Inspect installed binary packages and package manager versions for affected component releases.
  • Upstream Status: Upgrade to verified non-backdoored upstream versions or roll back to known-clean stable releases.
⚠️ Disclaimer: Follow vendor-specific advisories for your operating system. CyberVault does not fabricate unsupported remediation scripts.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) & Remediation Guide

How do I fix CVE-2012-3440 in todd_miller sudo?

Review vendor-specific security notices and update todd_miller sudo packages to the latest patched release immediately. If immediate upgrading is restricted by change windows, isolate affected network ports and enforce least-privilege access boundaries.

Is there an active exploit or public PoC for CVE-2012-3440?

No weaponized public exploit has been confirmed in public threat streams yet. Continuous surveillance is active across GitHub and security feeds.

What is the CVSS 3.1 severity rating and impact for CVE-2012-3440?

CVE-2012-3440 is classified with a CVSS 3.1 Base Score of 5.6 (UNKNOWN). Check the metric breakdown above for attack vector requirements.

Risk Snapshot
5.6
UNKNOWN SEVERITY
CVE ID CVE-2012-3440
Weakness CWE-59
Vendor todd_miller
Product sudo
Published 2012-08-08
Vector AV:L/AC:H/Au:N/C:N/I:C/A:C