CVE-2015-2234
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 · uneditedRace condition in Lenovo System Update (formerly ThinkVantage System Update) before 5.06.0034 uses world-writable permissions for the update files directory, which allows local users to gain privileges by writing to an update file after the signature is validated.
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 confidenceLenovo System Update before version 5.06.0034 contains a race condition vulnerability where the update files directory uses world-writable permissions. A local attacker can exploit a time-of-check-to-time-of-use (TOCTOU) gap by writing to an update file after signature validation but before execution, achieving 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<= 5.06.0027CVSS 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.
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Determine Lenovo System Update versionOpen Programs and Features (appwiz.cpl) or check the executable version of Lenovo System Update (usually TVSU.exe or similar in the Lenovo System Update installation directory)Affected if Version is 5.06.0027 or earlier, or the version cannot be determined but the software is installed
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Locate the update files directoryFind the directory where Lenovo System Update stores its update files. This is typically within the application data or program files directory for Lenovo System UpdateAffected if The directory exists on the system
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Check directory permissionsRight-click the update files directory, go to Properties > Security tab, or use icacls command to view permissions. Look for entries showing 'Everyone', 'Users', or other non-admin groups with Write or Full Control permissionsAffected if The directory grants Write or Full Control permissions to Everyone, Users, or other unprivileged groups
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Verify world-writable statusRun 'icacls <directory path>' or check the Security tab to confirm the directory is world-writable (accessible for modification by any local user)Affected if The directory shows world-writable permissions allowing unprivileged users to create or modify files
A system is affected if Lenovo System Update version 5.06.0027 or earlier is installed AND the update files directory has world-writable permissions that could allow a local attacker to exploit the TOCTOU race condition.
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 dataUpdate Lenovo System Update to version 5.06.0034 or later, which fixes the improper permissions and race condition. Alternatively, restrict write access to the update files directory until the patch can be applied.
- Consultation2.0 h
- Implementation2.0 h
- Testing1.0 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 $1,744.
Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2015-2234 — 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-2015-2234 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
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- 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
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