Amazon Linux AMI : ctags (ALAS-2025-1974)

high Nessus Plugin ID 234996

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Synopsis

The remote Amazon Linux AMI host is missing a security update.

Description

The version of ctags installed on the remote host is prior to 5.8-2.7. It is, therefore, affected by a vulnerability as referenced in the ALAS-2025-1974 advisory.

A flaw was found in Exuberant Ctags in the way it handles the -o option. This option specifies the tag filename. A crafted tag filename specified in the command line or in the configuration file results in arbitrary command execution because the externalSortTags() in sort.c calls the system(3) function in an unsafe way. (CVE-2022-4515)

Tenable has extracted the preceding description block directly from the tested product security advisory.

Note that Nessus has not tested for this issue but has instead relied only on the application's self-reported version number.

Solution

Run 'yum update ctags' to update your system.

Plugin Details

Severity: High

ID: 234996

File Name: ala_ALAS-2025-1974.nasl

Version: 1.1

Type: local

Agent: unix

Family: Amazon Linux Local Security Checks

Published: 4/30/2025

Updated: 4/30/2025

Supported Sensors: Agentless Assessment, Continuous Assessment, Frictionless Assessment Agent, Frictionless Assessment AWS, Nessus Agent, Nessus

Risk Information

VPR

Risk Factor: Medium

Score: 6.7

CVSS v2

Risk Factor: High

Base Score: 7.2

Temporal Score: 5.6

Vector: CVSS2#AV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C

CVSS Score Source: CVE-2022-4515

CVSS v3

Risk Factor: High

Base Score: 7.8

Temporal Score: 7

Vector: CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Temporal Vector: CVSS:3.0/E:P/RL:O/RC:C

Vulnerability Information

CPE: cpe:/o:amazon:linux, p-cpe:/a:amazon:linux:ctags-debuginfo, p-cpe:/a:amazon:linux:ctags, p-cpe:/a:amazon:linux:ctags-etags

Required KB Items: Host/local_checks_enabled, Host/AmazonLinux/release, Host/AmazonLinux/rpm-list

Exploit Available: true

Exploit Ease: No known exploits are available

Patch Publication Date: 4/23/2025

Vulnerability Publication Date: 12/13/2022

Reference Information

CVE: CVE-2022-4515

Detections

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