---
title: "CVE-2019-25017\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-2019-25017?format=md
keywords: index, follow
---

# CVE-2019-25017

Publication date 2 February 2021

Last updated 25 August 2025

---

Ubuntu priority

**Medium**

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

## Cvss 3 Severity Score

**5.9 · Medium**

[Score breakdown](https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2019-25017?format=md#impact-score)

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## Description

An issue was discovered in rcp in MIT krb5-appl through 1.0.3. Due to the
rcp implementation being derived from 1983 rcp, the server chooses which
files/directories are sent to the client. However, the rcp client only
performs cursory validation of the object name returned (only directory
traversal attacks are prevented). A malicious rcp server (or
Man-in-The-Middle attacker) can overwrite arbitrary files in the rcp client
target directory. If recursive operation (-r) is performed, the server can
manipulate subdirectories as well (for example, to overwrite the
.ssh/authorized\_keys file). This issue is similar to CVE-2019-6111 and
CVE-2019-7283. NOTE: MIT krb5-appl is not supported upstream but is shipped
by a few Linux distributions. The affected code was removed from the
supported MIT Kerberos 5 (aka krb5) product many years ago, at version 1.8.

[Read the notes from the security team](https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2019-25017?format=md#notes)

## Status

Show unmaintained releases

| Package | Ubuntu Release | Status |
| --- | --- | --- |
| krb5-appl | 20.10 groovy | Not in release |
| 20.04 LTS focal | Not in release |
| 18.04 LTS bionic | 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)

## Notes

---

### [sbeattie](https://launchpad.net/~sbeattie)

krb5-appl was removed before ubuntu 14.04 LTS was released.

## Severity score breakdown

CVSS version:
CVSS v3.0

**Base score**

5.9 · Medium

* Base metrics

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

  | Parameter | Value |
  | --- | --- |
  | Base score | 5.9 · Medium |
  | Exploitability score | - |
  | Impact score | - |

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

## References

* [MITRE](https://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2019-25017)
* [NVD](https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2019-25017)
* [Launchpad](https://launchpad.net/bugs/cve/CVE-2019-25017)
* [Debian](https://security-tracker.debian.org/tracker/CVE-2019-25017)

### Other references

* <https://bugzilla.suse.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1131109>
* <https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2019-25017>