CVE-2019-14868

Publication date 2 April 2020

Last updated 18 August 2025


Ubuntu priority

Cvss 3 Severity Score

7.4 · High

Score breakdown

Description

In ksh version 20120801, a flaw was found in the way it evaluates certain environment variables. An attacker could use this flaw to override or bypass environment restrictions to execute shell commands. Services and applications that allow remote unauthenticated attackers to provide one of those environment variables could allow them to exploit this issue remotely.

From the Ubuntu Security Team

It was discovered that Korn Shell incorrectly handled environment variables. A remote attacker could possibly use this issue to execute arbitrary code.

Status

Package Ubuntu Release Status
ksh 25.10 questing Not in release
25.04 plucky Not in release
24.10 oracular Not in release
24.04 LTS noble Not in release
23.10 mantic Not in release
23.04 lunar Not in release
22.10 kinetic Not in release
22.04 LTS jammy Not in release
21.10 impish
Not affected
21.04 hirsute
Not affected
20.10 groovy
Not affected
20.04 LTS focal
Not affected
19.10 eoan Ignored end of life
19.04 disco Ignored end of life
18.04 LTS bionic
Needs evaluation
16.04 LTS xenial
Needs evaluation
14.04 LTS trusty
Fixed 93u+20120801-1ubuntu0.14.04.1+esm1

Get expanded security coverage with Ubuntu Pro

Reduce your average CVE exposure time from 98 days to 1 day with expanded CVE patching, ten-years security maintenance and optional support for the full stack of open-source applications. Free for personal use.

Get Ubuntu Pro 30-day free trial

Severity score breakdown

Parameter Value
Base score 7.4 · High
Attack vector Local
Attack complexity High
Privileges required None
User interaction None
Scope Unchanged
Confidentiality High
Integrity impact High
Availability impact High
Vector CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H