CouchdbApplication · Apache
CVE-2010-2953
Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.
NVD · uneditedUntrusted search path vulnerability in a certain Debian GNU/Linux patch for the couchdb script in CouchDB 0.8.0 allows local users to gain privileges via a crafted shared library in the current working directory.
Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.
dbcve analysis · high confidenceAn untrusted search path vulnerability exists in Debian's patched couchdb init script for CouchDB 0.8.0. The script loads shared libraries from the current working directory (CWD) instead of using secure, absolute paths. A local user with access to the directory where CouchDB runs can place a malicious shared library (e.g., libcurl.so) that gets loaded with elevated privileges, enabling local privilege escalation.
Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.
Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.
NVD · CPE data
CouchdbApplication
= 0.8.0CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.
From the vector- Attack vector
- Local
- Complexity
- M
- Authentication
- None
- Confidentiality
- Complete
- Integrity
- Complete
- Availability
- Complete
AV:L/AC:M/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C
Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.
dbcve checksWork through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.
-
Check installed CouchDB versionRun `dpkg -l couchdb` or `couchdb -v` or check `/usr/bin/couchdb` version to determine if version 0.8.0 is installedAffected if Version is exactly 0.8.0
-
Locate the CouchDB init scriptLook for the init script in locations like `/etc/init.d/couchdb`, `/etc/init.d/couchdb`, or search with `find /etc -name '*couchdb*' -type f`Affected if An init script exists at a standard system location
-
Inspect init script for unsafe library loadingExamine the init script content with `cat /etc/init.d/couchdb` and search for patterns that load libraries from the current working directory, such as lines referencing `LD_LIBRARY_PATH` with `.` or unset absolute paths, or commands that may load shared objects from CWDAffected if The script contains library loading commands that use relative or unspecified paths that could resolve to the current working directory
-
Check directory permissions where CouchDB runsIdentify the working directory CouchDB runs from (check the init script for `cd` commands or PWD settings) and verify permissions with `ls -la <directory>` - check if other users have write accessAffected if The directory where CouchDB executes is writable by untrusted local users, allowing them to place malicious libraries
You are affected if you are running CouchDB version 0.8.0 with an init script that loads libraries from relative paths and the CouchDB working directory permits write access by untrusted users.
Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.
Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.
From vendor dataThis is a classic library preloading attack vector. Remove or sanitize the current working directory from the library search path in the couchdb script, use absolute paths for all library references, and ensure CouchDB runs from a secured directory where untrusted users cannot write files.
Fix this in Couchdb
Scoped from the published advisory
- Consultation1.0 h
- Implementation1.0 h
- Testing2.0 h
- Review / QA1.0 h
An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $1,376.
Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2010-2953 — or any other known-vulnerable package — straight from your lock files. Free and open source; it runs locally and uploads nothing.
References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.
Primary sourcesPractitioner notes
ContributedPeer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2010-2953 in production — separate from our analysis above.
The advisory tells you what broke. It rarely tells you what actually worked. If you’ve dealt with this one, that detail is what the next engineer is searching for.
- The version that genuinely resolved it — not the one the vendor claimed
- A config change or rule that shut the vector down
- A gotcha in the upgrade path that cost you an afternoon
No notes yet
Be the first to add a field note for this CVE — a mitigation you’ve verified, a version caveat, or a link to a working fix. Sign in above to contribute.
A place for practitioners to share what actually worked: a mitigation you’ve tested, a configuration change, a version- or environment-specific caveat, or a link to a verified patch. The most useful notes rise to the top as peers upvote them, so the signal stays high.
- Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
- Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
- No weaponised exploit code, or anything meant to cause harm
- No spam, self-promotion, credentials, or personal data