---
title: "CVE-2017-16355\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-2017-16355?format=md
keywords: index, follow
---

# CVE-2017-16355

Publication date 14 December 2017

Last updated 25 August 2025

---

Ubuntu priority

**Medium**

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

## Cvss 3 Severity Score

**4.7 · Medium**

[Score breakdown](https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2017-16355?format=md#impact-score)

Toggle side navigation

## Description

In agent/Core/SpawningKit/Spawner.h in Phusion Passenger 5.1.10 (fixed in
Passenger Open Source 5.1.11 and Passenger Enterprise 5.1.10), if Passenger
is running as root, it is possible to list the contents of arbitrary files
on a system by symlinking a file named REVISION from the application root
folder to a file of choice and querying passenger-status --show=xml.

## Status

Show unmaintained releases

| Package | Ubuntu Release | Status |
| --- | --- | --- |
| passenger | 22.04 LTS jammy | Not affected |
| 21.10 impish | Not affected |
| 21.04 hirsute | Not affected |
| 20.10 groovy | Not affected |
| 20.04 LTS focal | Not affected |
| 19.10 eoan | Not affected |
| 19.04 disco | Fixed 5.0.30-1+deb9u1build0.19.04.1 |
| 18.10 cosmic | Fixed 5.0.30-1+deb9u1build0.18.10.1 |
| 18.04 LTS bionic | Fixed 5.0.30-1+deb9u1build0.18.04.1 |
| 17.10 artful | Ignored end of life |
| 17.04 zesty | Ignored end of life |
| 16.04 LTS xenial | Fixed 5.0.27-2ubuntu0.1~esm1  Ubuntu Pro |
| 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release |
| ruby-passenger | 22.04 LTS jammy | Not in release |
| 21.10 impish | Not in release |
| 21.04 hirsute | Not in release |
| 20.10 groovy | Not in release |
| 20.04 LTS focal | Not in release |
| 19.10 eoan | Not in release |
| 19.04 disco | Not in release |
| 18.10 cosmic | Not in release |
| 18.04 LTS bionic | Not in release |
| 17.10 artful | Not in release |
| 17.04 zesty | Not in release |
| 16.04 LTS xenial | Not in release |
| 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release |

---

* [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-2017-16355?format=md#patch-details)

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### 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 |
| --- | --- |
| passenger | * Upstream:   [4043718](https://github.com/phusion/passenger/commit/4043718264095cde6623c2cbe8c644541036d7bf) * Upstream:   [947af42](https://github.com/phusion/passenger/commit/947af424330f5d5f5006860b2f0140bbba153e42) |

## Severity score breakdown

CVSS version:
CVSS v3.0

**Base score**

4.7 · Medium

* Base metrics

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

  | Parameter | Value |
  | --- | --- |
  | Base score | 4.7 · Medium |
  | Exploitability score | - |
  | Impact score | - |

**Vector:** CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N

## References

* [MITRE](https://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2017-16355)
* [NVD](https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2017-16355)
* [Launchpad](https://launchpad.net/bugs/cve/CVE-2017-16355)
* [Debian](https://security-tracker.debian.org/tracker/CVE-2017-16355)

### Related Ubuntu Security Notices (USN)

+ [USN-5261-1](https://usn.ubuntu.com/USN-5261-1)
+ Phusion Passenger vulnerabilities
+ 1 February 2022

### Other references

* <https://blog.phusion.nl/2017/10/13/passenger-security-advisory-5-1-11/>
* <http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2017/11/21/2>
* <https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2017-16355>