Description
The "make distcheck" rule in GNU Automake before 1.11.6 and 1.12.x before 1.12.2 grants world-writable permissions to the extraction directory, which introduces a race condition that allows local users to execute arbitrary code via unspecified vectors.
Fixed in Linux distributions
Distributions backport fixes, so the version that fixes this vulnerability differs per release — upgrade to at least the version shown. From the distributions' security trackers and advisories.
Debian
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Debian 14 | automake | 1:1.4-p6-13.1 | — |
| Debian 12 | automake1.11 | 1:1.11.6-1 | — |
Red Hat
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| RHEL 6 | automake | 1.11.1-4.el6 | RHSA-2013:0526 |
| RHEL 5 | automake | 1.9.6-3.el5 | RHSA-2014:1243 |
SUSE
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| SUSE Package Hub 15 SP4 | wdiff | 1.2.2-bp154.2.1 | openSUSE-SU-2022:10031-1 |
openSUSE
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| openSUSE Tumbleweed | gv | 1.2.2-5.5 | openSUSE-SU-2024:10576-1 |
| openSUSE Leap 15.4 | wdiff | 1.2.2-bp154.2.1 | openSUSE-SU-2022:10031-1 |
Advisories 4
- openSUSE-SU-2022:10031-1 Security update for wdiff SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- openSUSE-SU-2024:10576-1 gv-3.7.4-3.8 on GA media SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- RHSA-2014:1243 Red Hat Security Advisory: automake security update Red Hat Security Advisories (RHSA) · Nov 22, 2025
- RHSA-2013:0526 Red Hat Security Advisory: automake security update Red Hat Security Advisories (RHSA) · Nov 22, 2025
References
- FEDORA-2012-14770 vendor-advisory
- MDVSA-2012:103 vendor-advisory
- openSUSE-SU-2012:1519 vendor-advisory
- FEDORA-2012-14349 vendor-advisory
- RHSA-2013:0526 vendor-advisory
- [automake] 20120709 GNU Automake 1.11.6 released (fixes a SECURITY VULNERABILITY!) mailing-list
- [automake] 20120709 GNU Automake 1.12.2 released (fixes a SECURITY VULNERABILITY!) mailing-list
- [automake] 20120709 CVE-2012-3386 Automake security fix for 'make distcheck' mailing-list
- http://git.savannah.gnu.org/cgit/automake.git/commit/?id=784b3e6ccc7c72a1c95c340cbbe8897d6b689d76
- FEDORA-2012-14297 vendor-advisory