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VulnerabilityPublished Updated

CVE-2024-5742: Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 · Link Following

Affects Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8Source CVE Database V5

0

Not known to be exploited · CVSS 6.7 Medium : upgrade the Debian debian/nano package to 5.9-1.1 when convenient.

Data as of 26 Oct 2026, 08:30 UTC

CVSS 3.1 base score
6.7Medium
How severe the flaw is on the 0–10 CVSS scale.
EPSS
0.3% chance of exploitation in 30 days – higher than 27% of CVEsExploit Prediction Scoring System: the likelihood attackers will use this flaw soon.
Patch
Available – fixed in 5.9-1.1
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Exploitation evidence

  1. Disclosed: evidence found.

    CVE published 12 Jun 2024

  2. Detectable: no evidence on record.

    No public nuclei template indexed

  3. Weaponised: no evidence on record.

    No public exploit code indexed in Metasploit or Exploit-DB

  4. Exploited in the wild: no evidence on record.

    Not in CISA KEV and no source reports exploitation

  5. Observed by OffSeq Mirage: no evidence on record.

    No attack traffic recorded by OffSeq Mirage sensors

A missing step is not evidence of safety. Sources: cve.org (opens in a new tab), the Metasploit, Exploit-DB and nuclei-templates index as of 26 Oct 2026.

What to do

Upgrade the Debian debian/nano package to 5.9-1.1.

Affected software

ProductAffectedFixed in
Debiandebian/nanopkg:deb/debian/nanoOther threatsAffected
  • <5.9-1.1
Fixed in
  • 5.9-1.1
Red Hatredhat/nanopkg:rpm/redhat/nanoOther threatsAffected
  • =5.9-1.el9_0.1
Fixed in–

Check your own hosts for these packages with threat-finder (opens in a new tab), our free open-source scanner.

AI-suggested

In the absence of patches, administrators can implement strict file system permissions and monitor for suspicious symlink creation in directories where temporary files are stored. Restricting user permissions to prevent unauthorized symlink creation can reduce exploitation risk. Employing mandatory access controls (e.g., SELinux, AppArmor) to limit Nano's file write capabilities can also help contain potential damage. Additionally, educating users about the risks of killing Nano processes abruptly and encouraging proper shutdown procedures can minimize emergency file creation. System administrators should audit and monitor emergency file directories for unusual activity and consider using alternative editors with more secure temporary file handling in high-security environments. Finally, integrating file integrity monitoring tools to detect unauthorized file modifications can provide early warning of exploitation attempts.

Description

A vulnerability was found in GNU Nano that allows a possible privilege escalation through an insecure temporary file. If Nano is killed while editing, a file it saves to an emergency file with the permissions of the running user provides a window of opportunity for attackers to escalate privileges through a malicious symlink.

References

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