---
title: "CVE-2016-1255\n    | Ubuntu"
description: Ubuntu is an open source software operating system that runs from the
  desktop, to the cloud, to all your internet connected things.
url: https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2016-1255?format=md
keywords: index, follow
---

# CVE-2016-1255

Publication date 20 December 2016

Last updated 25 August 2025

---

Ubuntu priority

**Medium**

[Why this priority?](https://ubuntu.com/security/cves/about#priority )

## Cvss 3 Severity Score

**7.8 · High**

[Score breakdown](https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2016-1255?format=md#impact-score)

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## Description

The pg\_ctlcluster script in postgresql-common package in Debian wheezy
before 134wheezy5, in Debian jessie before 165+deb8u2, in Debian unstable
before 178, in Ubuntu 12.04 LTS before 129ubuntu1.2, in Ubuntu 14.04 LTS
before 154ubuntu1.1, in Ubuntu 16.04 LTS before 173ubuntu0.1, in Ubuntu
17.04 before 179ubuntu0.1, and in Ubuntu 17.10 before 184ubuntu1.1 allows
local users to gain root privileges via a symlink attack on a logfile in
/var/log/postgresql.

## Status

Show unmaintained releases

| Package | Ubuntu Release | Status |
| --- | --- | --- |
| postgresql-common | 17.10 artful | Not affected |
| 17.04 zesty | Not affected |
| 16.10 yakkety | Ignored end of life |
| 16.04 LTS xenial | Fixed 173ubuntu0.1 |
| 14.04 LTS trusty | Fixed 154ubuntu1.1 |
| 12.04 LTS precise | Ignored end of life |

---

* [How can I get the fixes?](https://ubuntu.com/security/cves/about#security)
* [What do statuses mean?](https://ubuntu.com/security/cves/about#statuses)
* [Patch details](https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2016-1255?format=md#patch-details)

### Patch details

For informational purposes only. We recommend not to cherry-pick updates. [How can I get the fixes?](https://ubuntu.com/security/cves/about#security)

| Package | Patch details |
| --- | --- |
| postgresql-common | * Upstream:   [?id=c89](https://anonscm.debian.org/cgit/pkg-postgresql/postgresql-common.git/commit/?id=c8989206ec360f19) |

## Severity score breakdown

CVSS version:
CVSS v3.0

**Base score**

7.8 · High

* Base metrics

  | Parameter | Value |
  | --- | --- |
  | Attack vector | Local |
  | Attack complexity | Low |
  | Privileges required | Low |
  | User interaction | None |
  | Scope | Unchanged |
  | Confidentiality impact | High |
  | Integrity impact | High |
  | Availability impact | High |
* Scores

  | Parameter | Value |
  | --- | --- |
  | Base score | 7.8 · High |
  | Exploitability score | - |
  | Impact score | - |

**Vector:** CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

## References

* [MITRE](https://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2016-1255)
* [NVD](https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2016-1255)
* [Launchpad](https://launchpad.net/bugs/cve/CVE-2016-1255)
* [Debian](https://security-tracker.debian.org/tracker/CVE-2016-1255)

### Related Ubuntu Security Notices (USN)

+ [USN-3476-2](https://usn.ubuntu.com/USN-3476-2)
+ postgresql-common vulnerabilities
+ 27 November 2017

+ [USN-3476-1](https://usn.ubuntu.com/USN-3476-1)
+ postgresql-common vulnerabilities
+ 9 November 2017

### Other references

* <https://anonscm.debian.org/cgit/pkg-postgresql/postgresql-common.git/log/>
* <https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2016-1255>