Heap Buffer Overread in util-linux setpwnam() (256-byte usernames)
CVE-2025-14104 Published on December 5, 2025

Util-linux: util-linux: heap buffer overread in setpwnam() when processing 256-byte usernames
A flaw was found in util-linux. This vulnerability allows a heap buffer overread when processing 256-byte usernames, specifically within the `setpwnam()` function, affecting SUID (Set User ID) login-utils utilities writing to the password database.

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Vulnerability Analysis

CVE-2025-14104 is exploitable with local system access, and requires small amount of user privileges. This vulnerability is considered to have a low attack complexity. The potential impact of an exploit of this vulnerability is considered to have a small impact on confidentiality, a small impact on integrity, and a high impact on availability.

Attack Vector:
LOCAL
Attack Complexity:
LOW
Privileges Required:
LOW
User Interaction:
NONE
Scope:
UNCHANGED
Confidentiality Impact:
LOW
Integrity Impact:
NONE
Availability Impact:
HIGH

Timeline

Reported to Red Hat.

Made public.

Weakness Type

Out-of-bounds Read

The software reads data past the end, or before the beginning, of the intended buffer. Typically, this can allow attackers to read sensitive information from other memory locations or cause a crash. A crash can occur when the code reads a variable amount of data and assumes that a sentinel exists to stop the read operation, such as a NUL in a string. The expected sentinel might not be located in the out-of-bounds memory, causing excessive data to be read, leading to a segmentation fault or a buffer overflow. The software may modify an index or perform pointer arithmetic that references a memory location that is outside of the boundaries of the buffer. A subsequent read operation then produces undefined or unexpected results.


Products Associated with CVE-2025-14104

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Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL)
 
Red Hat Openshift
 
Red Hat Insights Proxy
 
Red Hat Rhui
 
Red Hat Ceph Storage
 

Affected Versions

util-linux: Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10: Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8: Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8: Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9: Red Hat Enterprise Linux 9: Red Hat Ceph Storage 7: Red Hat Ceph Storage 8: Red Hat Ceph Storage 9: Red Hat Insights proxy 1.5: Red Hat Update Infrastructure 5: Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6: Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7: Red Hat OpenShift Container Platform 4:

Exploit Probability

EPSS
0.01%
Percentile
0.31%

EPSS (Exploit Prediction Scoring System) scores estimate the probability that a vulnerability will be exploited in the wild within the next 30 days. The percentile shows you how this score compares to all other vulnerabilities.