CVE-2024-45770
pcp: pmpost symlink attack allows escalating pcp to root user
Severity
ModerateRed Hat Product Security
CVSS 3.1
Review impact separately from score.
Published · September 17, 2024
Updated · November 21, 2025
Description
A vulnerability was found in Performance Co-Pilot (PCP). This flaw can only be exploited if an attacker has access to a compromised PCP system account. The issue is related to the pmpost tool, which is used to log messages in the system. Under certain conditions, it runs with high-level privileges.
Statement
This issue is classified as Moderate rather than Important due to the specific conditions required for exploitation. Although it involves potential privilege escalation and file corruption, the vulnerability is contingent on an attacker having the ability to create symlinks within the /var/log/pcp directory. Additionally, the exploit requires pmpost to be executed as root in a particular context, which is not typical in standard operation. These prerequisites limit the likelihood and scope of the impact, making it less severe compared to vulnerabilities that could be exploited more broadly or easily by an unprivileged user.
CVSS score applicability
The CVSS score(s) listed for this vulnerability do not reflect the associated product's status, and are included for informational purposes to better understand the severity of this vulnerability.
Mitigation
Mitigation for this issue is either not available or the currently available options do not meet the Red Hat Product Security criteria comprising ease of use and deployment, applicability to widespread installation base or stability.
CVSS / CWE
CVSS 3.1 · 4.4CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:N
CWE-59 · Improper Link Resolution Before File Access ('Link Following')