CVE-2014-6271 GNU Bourne-Again Shell (Bash): command or code injection
In plain words: The program treats text it receives as instructions instead of plain data. The attacker can run commands on the machine — often the whole device is taken over.
Confirmed exploited by CISA on · US federal patch deadline Jul 28, 2022
What to do
- Install GNU's security update for Bourne-Again Shell (Bash). If no update exists, follow the vendor's workaround or stop using the product until one ships.
- Keep a list of every internet-facing server you run so nothing is forgotten.
- Patch anything in this catalog first, ahead of normal patch cycles.
- Put admin and file-transfer apps behind a VPN or single sign-on instead of the open internet.
Who is affected
Work IT. Aimed mostly at company systems — you are affected through the companies you use, not your own phone.
What's at risk: Mass data theft and ransomware: a single flaw in a file-transfer or email server has exposed thousands of organisations at once.
The details
- Official name
- GNU Bourne-Again Shell (Bash) Arbitrary Code Execution Vulnerability
- Product
- GNU Bourne-Again Shell (Bash)
- CISA description
- GNU Bash through 4.3 processes trailing strings after function definitions in the values of environment variables, which allows remote attackers to execute code.
- Type of flaw
- Command or code injection (CWE-78)
- Confirmed exploited
- Jan 28, 2022
- US federal patch deadline
- Jul 28, 2022
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Answering about CVE-2014-6271 ·
Questions about CVE-2014-6271
Is CVE-2014-6271 being exploited?
Yes. CISA added CVE-2014-6271 to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on Jan 28, 2022, which means there is reliable evidence of real-world attacks.
How do I fix CVE-2014-6271?
Install GNU's security update for Bourne-Again Shell (Bash). If no update exists, follow the vendor's workaround or stop using the product until one ships. Keep a list of every internet-facing server you run so nothing is forgotten.
Am I affected by CVE-2014-6271?
Only if you use GNU Bourne-Again Shell (Bash). Aimed mostly at company systems — you are affected through the companies you use, not your own phone.