CVE-2014-7169 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. This CVE correctly remediates the vulnerability in CVE-2014-6271.
- 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-2014-7169 ·
Questions about CVE-2014-7169
Is CVE-2014-7169 being exploited?
Yes. CISA added CVE-2014-7169 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-2014-7169?
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-2014-7169?
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.