CVE-2015-5889

Status: ModifiedHigh (7.2)—💥 Exploit

rsh in the remote_cmds component in Apple OS X before 10.11 allows local users to obtain root privileges via vectors involving environment variables.

CVSS

Version: 2.0
Vector: AV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C
Base score: 7.2

Exploitation probability (EPSS)

Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days: 5.13%
Percentile among all scored CVEs: 92
Score date: 10/10/2026

EPSS (Exploit Prediction Scoring System, FIRST) estimates how likely a vulnerability is to be exploited in the wild within 30 days. It complements CVSS (impact) and CISA KEV (confirmed exploitation).

💥 Public exploits

Exploit code or detection templates are publicly available. This is not the same as confirmed active exploitation (KEV), but it raises the risk: patch with priority.

Metasploit module (reliable, widely available exploit) · Mac OS X 10.9.5 / 10.10.5 - rsh/libmalloc Privilege Escalation
Published on Exploit-DB · Apple Mac OSX 10.9.5/10.10.5 - 'rsh/libmalloc' Local Privilege Escalation (Metasploit) (10/27/2015)
Published on Exploit-DB · Apple Mac OSX 10.9.5/10.10.5 - 'rsh/libmalloc' Local Privilege Escalation (10/1/2015)

Affected technologies (1)

Apple — MAC OS X

CWEs

CWE-264

References

Raw JSON (NVD)

Show

{
  "id": "CVE-2015-5889",
  "cveTags": [],
  "metrics": {
    "cvssMetricV2": [
      {
        "type": "Primary",
        "source": "nvd@nist.gov",
        "cvssData": {
          "version": "2.0",
          "baseScore": 7.2,
          "accessVector": "LOCAL",
          "vectorString": "AV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C",
          "authentication": "NONE",
          "integrityImpact": "COMPLETE",
          "accessComplexity": "LOW",
          "availabilityImpact": "COMPLETE",
          "confidentialityImpact": "COMPLETE"
        },
        "acInsufInfo": false,
        "impactScore": 10,
        "baseSeverity": "HIGH",
        "obtainAllPrivilege": false,
        "exploitabilityScore": 3.9,
        "obtainUserPrivilege": false,
        "obtainOtherPrivilege": false,
        "userInteractionRequired": false
      }
    ]
  },
  "affected": [
    {
      "source": "product-security@apple.com",
      "affectedData": [
        {
          "vendor": "n/a",
          "product": "n/a",
          "versions": [
            {
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "n/a"
            }
          ]
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "published": "2015-10-09T05:59:23.267",
  "references": [
    {
      "url": "http://lists.apple.com/archives/security-announce/2015/Sep/msg00008.html",
      "tags": [
        "Vendor Advisory"
      ],
      "source": "product-security@apple.com"
    },
    {
      "url": "http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/133826/issetugid-rsh-libmalloc-OS-X-Local-Root.html",
      "source": "product-security@apple.com"
    },
    {
      "url": "http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/134087/Mac-OS-X-10.9.5-10.10.5-rsh-libmalloc-Privilege-Escalation.html",
      "source": "product-security@apple.com"
    },
    {
      "url": "http://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2015/Oct/5",
      "source": "product-security@apple.com"
    },
    {
      "url": "http://www.rapid7.com/db/modules/exploit/osx/local/rsh_libmalloc",
      "source": "product-security@apple.com"
    },
    {
      "url": "http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/76908",
      "source": "product-security@apple.com"
    },
    {
      "url": "http://www.securitytracker.com/id/1033703",
      "source": "product-security@apple.com"
    },
    {
      "url": "https://support.apple.com/HT205267",
      "tags": [
        "Vendor Advisory"
      ],
      "source": "product-security@apple.com"
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/38371/",
      "source": "product-security@apple.com"
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/38540/",
      "source": "product-security@apple.com"
    },
    {
      "url": "http://lists.apple.com/archives/security-announce/2015/Sep/msg00008.html",
      "tags": [
        "Vendor Advisory"
      ],
      "source": "af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108"
    },
    {
      "url": "http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/133826/issetugid-rsh-libmalloc-OS-X-Local-Root.html",
      "source": "af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108"
    },
    {
      "url": "http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/134087/Mac-OS-X-10.9.5-10.10.5-rsh-libmalloc-Privilege-Escalation.html",
      "source": "af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108"
    },
    {
      "url": "http://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2015/Oct/5",
      "source": "af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108"
    },
    {
      "url": "http://www.rapid7.com/db/modules/exploit/osx/local/rsh_libmalloc",
      "source": "af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108"
    },
    {
      "url": "http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/76908",
      "source": "af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108"
    },
    {
      "url": "http://www.securitytracker.com/id/1033703",
      "source": "af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108"
    },
    {
      "url": "https://support.apple.com/HT205267",
      "tags": [
        "Vendor Advisory"
      ],
      "source": "af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108"
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/38371/",
      "source": "af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108"
    },
    {
      "url": "https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/38540/",
      "source": "af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108"
    }
  ],
  "vulnStatus": "Modified",
  "weaknesses": [
    {
      "type": "Primary",
      "source": "nvd@nist.gov",
      "description": [
        {
          "lang": "en",
          "value": "CWE-264"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "descriptions": [
    {
      "lang": "en",
      "value": "rsh in the remote_cmds component in Apple OS X before 10.11 allows local users to obtain root privileges via vectors involving environment variables."
    },
    {
      "lang": "es",
      "value": "rsh en el componente remote_cmds en Apple OS X en versiones anteriores a 10.11 permite a usuarios locales obtener privilegios de root a través de vectores que implican variables de entorno."
    }
  ],
  "lastModified": "2026-06-17T00:29:57.440",
  "configurations": [
    {
      "nodes": [
        {
          "negate": false,
          "cpeMatch": [
            {
              "criteria": "cpe:2.3:o:apple:mac_os_x:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
              "vulnerable": true,
              "matchCriteriaId": "0C5FF5EF-B5D2-4BFE-8C0E-DF1F99F3989D",
              "versionEndIncluding": "10.10.5"
            }
          ],
          "operator": "OR"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sourceIdentifier": "product-security@apple.com"
}