CVE-2015-5287
Fix: abrt/abrt@3c1b60cCVE-2015-5287 is a CWE-59 vulnerability in redhat automatic bug reporting tool. It is in CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog (added 2026-08-26) — treat it as actively exploited and patch now. O3 Security detects and blocks CVE-2015-5287 exploitation at runtime via eBPF exploit-chain detection and L7 egress monitoring, even on unpatched systems.
The abrt-hook-ccpp help program in Automatic Bug Reporting Tool (ABRT) before 2.7.1 allows local users with certain permissions to gain privileges via a symlink attack on a file with…
Exploitation Status
Actively exploited in the wild
- Confirmed by CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on 2026-08-26. Federal agencies were required to remediate by 2026-09-09.
- A successful exploit gives an attacker total control of the affected component, not partial access.
Exploitation and automatability from CISA (KEV catalog and SSVC triage) for CVE-2015-5287.
Description
The abrt-hook-ccpp help program in Automatic Bug Reporting Tool (ABRT) before 2.7.1 allows local users with certain permissions to gain privileges via a symlink attack on a file with a predictable name, as demonstrated by /var/tmp/abrt/abrt-hax-coredump or /var/spool/abrt/abrt-hax-coredump.
Affected Products
automatic bug reporting toolredhatenterprise linux desktopredhatenterprise linux hpc noderedhatenterprise linux serverredhatenterprise linux workstationredhatResearch use only. For defensive security, authorized penetration testing, and academic research only. Never execute exploit code against systems without explicit written authorization.
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Detection & mitigation playbook
Vendor / applianceDetect
Inventory every redhat automatic bug reporting tool deployment and check each version against the affected-products list above. Because the exploit targets the running system rather than your application code, also watch for exploitation at the network and runtime layer — O3 flags the exploit behaviour from runtime telemetry and egress traffic even before a vulnerable build is confirmed.
Remediation status
No patch has shipped for CVE-2015-5287 yet — track the redhat automatic bug reporting tool advisory for a fixed release and apply the workarounds below in the meantime.
Mitigate without a patch
Cut exposure now: restrict the management/admin interface to trusted networks, segment the device, and apply the vendor's recommended configuration mitigations and any WAF/IPS signature. O3's runtime protection blocks the exploit chain at execution, holding the line on unpatched or end-of-life systems until you can patch.
How O3 protects you
O3 detects and blocks CVE-2015-5287 exploitation at runtime: eBPF exploit-chain detection, plus L7 egress monitoring that catches the post-exploitation callback and severs the attacker's outbound channel.
Tailored to CVE-2015-5287. Runtime protection reduces exposure until a permanent patch is applied and verified — it complements patching, it doesn't replace it.
Fixing This On Your OS
If you run this on a Linux distribution, patch through your package manager against the distro's own security advisory below — it tracks the exact backported fix for your release, which can ship on a different timeline (and sometimes a different severity) than the upstream project.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is CVE-2015-5287 being exploited in your environment?
O3's eBPF runtime sensors and L7 egress monitoring detect and block the CVE-2015-5287 exploit chain at execution — protecting unpatched and end-of-life systems until the vendor patch is applied.