CVE-2007-5964: The default configuration of autofs 5 in some Linux distributions, such as Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL)...

Security readout for executives and security teams

CVE-2007-5964 is a local privilege escalation risk in default autofs 5 configurations on some Linux distributions. If the /net automount map allows setuid behavior from a remote NFS server, a local user may be able to gain higher privileges. This mainly matters for legacy Linux estates and systems still using autofs /net with NFS. Exposure is most likely on older Linux systems using autofs 5, especially RHEL 5-era distributions or derivatives with the /net hosts map enabled. Modern systems may be unaffected if vendor updates were applied or /net mounts already enforce nosuid. Treat this as a legacy configuration hardening issue unless affected systems are internet-facing jump hosts, shared compute, or multi-user servers. Prioritize discovery in old Linux estates and remediate during normal vulnerability maintenance unless exposure involves untrusted local users. Mitigation focus: Apply relevant vendor autofs advisories for affected distributions.; Ensure /net autofs mounts use the nosuid option where supported.; Disable unused autofs /net hosts maps on legacy systems..

Prepared

Jun 28, 2026, 19:45 UTC (UTC+00:00)

Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.