Red Hat Polkit Out-of-Bounds Read and Write Vulnerability
Red Hat · Polkit
CVSS 7.8
EPSS 95%
1 public exploit
ransomware
Fix deadline passed 18 July 2022
What it is
The Red Hat polkit pkexec utility contains an out-of-bounds read and write vulnerability that allows for privilege escalation with administrative rights.
Why we say that
- Linked by CISA to known ransomware campaigns
- EPSS puts exploitation in the next 30 days at 95%
- 1 public exploit published
- CISA's federal remediation deadline (2022-07-18) has passed
- Listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalogue
Every line above comes from a named public source. Where the evidence is thin, we say so rather than inventing confidence — see methodology.
What to do
Apply updates per vendor instructions.
Public exploit code
Indexed from Exploit-DB. Presence of code raises urgency; absence does not mean safety.
What it costs when this goes wrong
This is where UK enforcement meets the vulnerability record. This vulnerability is used in ransomware campaigns; here is what ransomware has cost UK organisations at the regulator.
- Advanced Computer Software Group Limited The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has fined Advanced Computer Software Group Ltd (Advanced) £3.07m for security failings…
- Optionis Group Limited The data controller suffered a ransomware attack, which resulted in the exfiltration of personal data. A reprimand was issued in r…