MEDIUM
CVE-2015-3170
CWE-254Published: July 21, 2017· Updated: Jun 17, 2026
5.5
CVSS v3.1
Official Description
selinux-policy when sysctl fs.protected_hardlinks are set to 0 allows local users to cause a denial of service (SSH login prevention) by creating a hardlink to /etc/passwd from a directory named .config, and updating selinux-policy.
Technical Analysis
CVE-2015-3170 requires local access, meaning attackers must already have a foothold on the target system.
Exploitation requires low privileges, which limits the exposure to scenarios where an attacker has already gained initial access.
A successful exploit results in availability disruption (denial of service), with a CVSS base score of 5.5.
CVSS v3.1 Vector Breakdown
Exploitability
Attack VectorLocal
Attack ComplexityLow
Privileges Req.Low
User InteractionNone
ScopeUnchanged
Impact
ConfidentialityNone
IntegrityNone
AvailabilityHigh
CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
Affected Vendors & Products
selinux_project1 product(s)
selinux
Source: NVD CPE · 1 total CPE entries
Exploit & PoC Resources
NO KNOWN EXPLOITNo public exploit confirmed at this time
Exploit-DB
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GitHub PoC Search
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Rapid7 / Metasploit
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PacketStorm
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NVD Detail
Official NIST entry
MITRE CVE
CVE Program entry
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All References (2)
→
https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1218672Issue Tracking
→
https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1218672Issue Tracking
Quick Facts
CVE IDCVE-2015-3170
CVSS Score5.5 / 10
SeverityMEDIUM
WeaknessCWE-254
CISA KEVNo
Affected1 vendor(s)
PublishedJul 21, 2017
Related CVEs (CWE-254)
Recommended Actions
- →Apply vendor patches immediately
- →Monitor CVE-2015-3170 in threat intel feeds
- →Review IDS/IPS signatures for exploitation attempts
Data sourced from NVD (NIST), CISA KEV, and EPSS (FIRST). Analysis generated by CTIWatch. CVE data is provided under the NVD usage policy.