# CVE-2024-2905: Rpm-ostree: world-readable /etc/shadow file

Status: published. Published: 2024-04-25. Updated: 2026-11-07.

A security vulnerability has been discovered within rpm-ostree, pertaining to the /etc/shadow file in default builds having the world-readable bit enabled. This issue arises from the default permissions being set at a higher level than recommended, potentially exposing sensitive authentication data to unauthorized access.

## Remediation

- workaround: If you need to apply the fix immediately, you can run the following commands, using credentials that have administrator access to an OpenShift cluster:

# List current permissions for all nodes
for node in $( oc get nodes -oname) ; do echo $node ; oc debug $node -- bash -c "ls -alhZ /host/etc/*shadow*"; done

# Set correct permissions
for node in $( oc get nodes -oname) ; do echo $node ; oc debug $node -- chmod --verbose 0000 /host/etc/shadow /host/etc/gshadow /host/etc/shadow- /host/etc/gshadow-; done

As a precaution, we recommend rotating all user credentials stored in those files. (source: CNA: redhat)

## Affected products and versions

-  /  (rpm-ostree): 1.2024.4 (affected). Source: CNA: redhat
- Red Hat / Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10 (rpm-ostree): ≥ 0:2025.5-1.el10; < * (unaffected, rpm). Source: CNA: redhat
- Red Hat / Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9 (rpm-ostree): ≥ 0:2024.3-3.el9_4; < * (unaffected, rpm). Source: CNA: redhat
- Red Hat / Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9.2 Extended Update Support (rpm-ostree): ≥ 0:2023.3-2.el9_2; < * (unaffected, rpm). Source: CNA: redhat
- Red Hat / Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 (rpm-ostree): Version range not reported. Source: CNA: redhat
- Red Hat / Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4 (rpm-ostree): Version range not reported. Source: CNA: redhat

## Severity and prioritization

- CVSS 3.1: 6.2 (medium); CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N; source: CNA: redhat

- CISA KEV: No listing in collected sources

- EPSS: 0.33% as of 2026-11-07; percentile 26.01%

- SSVC: exploitation none; automatable no; technical impact partial; source ADP: CISA-ADP

- Weaknesses: CWE-732

## Exploit evidence

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

## References

- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHBA-2025:4872 (CNA: redhat; vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT)

- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2024:3401 (CNA: redhat; vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT)

- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2024:3823 (CNA: redhat; vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT)

- https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2024-2905 (CNA: redhat; vdb-entry, x_refsource_REDHAT)

- https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2271585 (CNA: redhat; issue-tracking, x_refsource_REDHAT)

- https://github.com/coreos/rpm-ostree/security/advisories/GHSA-2m76-cwhg-7wv6 (CNA: redhat)

- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2024:3401 (ADP: CVE; vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT, x_transferred)

- https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2024:3823 (ADP: CVE; vendor-advisory, x_refsource_REDHAT, x_transferred)

- https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2024-2905 (ADP: CVE; vdb-entry, x_refsource_REDHAT, x_transferred)

- https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2271585 (ADP: CVE; issue-tracking, x_refsource_REDHAT, x_transferred)

- https://github.com/coreos/rpm-ostree/security/advisories/GHSA-2m76-cwhg-7wv6 (ADP: CVE; x_transferred)

- https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce@lists.fedoraproject.org/message/GXY3JLZC645RGFTFWSXPCYM2VWUGIDY5/ (ADP: CVE)

- https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce@lists.fedoraproject.org/message/ULCEMTHAQ3GRGL4G2ZQDX43A67P6UXQH/ (ADP: CVE)

## Provenance

- CNA: redhat: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2024-2905; retrieved 2026-11-07; source updated 2026-11-07

- FIRST EPSS: https://api.first.org/data/v1/epss?cve=CVE-2024-2905; retrieved 2026-11-07; source updated Not reported

Revision: f46dcaabff6581c933e33c558c8f104d4cb23584174eac18f0388052d309da2e

Canonical: https://y2.dev/cve/CVE-2024-2905

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