CVE-2023-3972

Insights-client: unsafe handling of temporary files and directories

publishedCWE-379

A vulnerability was found in insights-client. This security issue occurs because of insecure file operations or unsafe handling of temporary files and directories that lead to local privilege escalation. Before the insights-client has been registered on the system by root, an unprivileged local user or attacker could create the /var/tmp/insights-client directory (owning the directory with read, write, and execute permissions) on the system. After the insights-client is registered by root, an attacker could then control the directory content that insights are using by putting malicious scripts into it and executing arbitrary code as root (trivially bypassing SELinux protections because insights processes are allowed to disable SELinux system-wide).

Technical severity7.8 highCVSS 3.1 · CNA: redhat

Published2023-11-01Source updated 2026-11-07

Collected2026-11-072 attributed sources

Fixes and workarounds

Workaround

Red Hat has investigated whether a possible mitigation exists for this issue, and has not been able to identify a practical example. Please update the affected package as soon as possible.

Source: CNA: redhat

Affected products and versions

Affected products, source version ranges and reporting authorities
Product	Versions	Authority
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 Red Hat `insights-client` https://access.redhat.com/downloads/content/package-browser/	≥ 0:3.1.9-1.el7_9; < * (unaffected, rpm) Other versions: affected	CNA: redhat
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 Red Hat `insights-client` https://access.redhat.com/downloads/content/package-browser/	≥ 0:3.2.2-1.el8_8; < * (unaffected, rpm) Other versions: affected	CNA: redhat
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8.1 Update Services for SAP Solutions Red Hat `insights-client` https://access.redhat.com/downloads/content/package-browser/	≥ 0:3.2.3-1.el8_1; < * (unaffected, rpm) Other versions: affected	CNA: redhat
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8.2 Advanced Update Support Red Hat `insights-client` https://access.redhat.com/downloads/content/package-browser/	≥ 0:3.2.3-1.el8_2; < * (unaffected, rpm) Other versions: affected	CNA: redhat
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8.2 Telecommunications Update Service Red Hat `insights-client` https://access.redhat.com/downloads/content/package-browser/	≥ 0:3.2.3-1.el8_2; < * (unaffected, rpm) Other versions: affected	CNA: redhat
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8.2 Update Services for SAP Solutions Red Hat `insights-client` https://access.redhat.com/downloads/content/package-browser/	≥ 0:3.2.3-1.el8_2; < * (unaffected, rpm) Other versions: affected	CNA: redhat
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8.4 Advanced Mission Critical Update Support Red Hat `insights-client` https://access.redhat.com/downloads/content/package-browser/	≥ 0:3.2.3-1.el8_4; < * (unaffected, rpm) Other versions: affected	CNA: redhat
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8.4 Telecommunications Update Service Red Hat `insights-client` https://access.redhat.com/downloads/content/package-browser/	≥ 0:3.2.3-1.el8_4; < * (unaffected, rpm) Other versions: affected	CNA: redhat
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8.4 Update Services for SAP Solutions Red Hat `insights-client` https://access.redhat.com/downloads/content/package-browser/	≥ 0:3.2.3-1.el8_4; < * (unaffected, rpm) Other versions: affected	CNA: redhat
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8.6 Extended Update Support Red Hat `insights-client` https://access.redhat.com/downloads/content/package-browser/	≥ 0:3.2.2-1.el8_6; < * (unaffected, rpm) Other versions: affected	CNA: redhat
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 Red Hat `insights-client` https://access.redhat.com/downloads/content/package-browser/	≥ 0:3.2.2-1.el9_2; < * (unaffected, rpm) Other versions: affected	CNA: redhat
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9.0 Extended Update Support Red Hat `insights-client` https://access.redhat.com/downloads/content/package-browser/	≥ 0:3.2.2-1.el9_0; < * (unaffected, rpm) Other versions: affected	CNA: redhat
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 Red Hat `insights-client` https://access.redhat.com/downloads/content/package-browser/	Range not reported Other versions: unknown	CNA: redhat

Version ranges are source assertions. Check the vendor advisory and your installed configuration before determining exposure.

CVSS assessments

CVSS scores, vectors and reporting authorities
Version / score	Vector	Authority
3.1 / 7.8 high	`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`	CNA: redhat

Exploit evidence

No exploit evidence in collected sources. This is not proof of no exploitation.

References

https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:6264CNA: redhat · vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:6282CNA: redhat · vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:6283CNA: redhat · vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:6284CNA: redhat · vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:6795CNA: redhat · vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:6796CNA: redhat · vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:6798CNA: redhat · vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:6811CNA: redhat · vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT
https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2023-3972CNA: redhat · vdb-entry, x_refsource_REDHAT
https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2227027CNA: redhat · issue-tracking, x_refsource_REDHAT
https://github.com/RedHatInsights/insights-core/pull/3878CNA: redhat
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:6264ADP: CVE · vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT, x_transferred
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:6282ADP: CVE · vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT, x_transferred
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:6283ADP: CVE · vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT, x_transferred
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:6284ADP: CVE · vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT, x_transferred
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:6795ADP: CVE · vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT, x_transferred
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:6796ADP: CVE · vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT, x_transferred
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:6798ADP: CVE · vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT, x_transferred
https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2023:6811ADP: CVE · vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT, x_transferred
https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2023-3972ADP: CVE · vdb-entry, x_refsource_REDHAT, x_transferred
https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2227027ADP: CVE · issue-tracking, x_refsource_REDHAT, x_transferred
https://github.com/RedHatInsights/insights-core/pull/3878ADP: CVE · x_transferred

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