Known exploited vulnerability · CISA KEV

CVE-2014-7169: GNU Bourne-Again Shell (Bash) Arbitrary Code Execution Vulnerability

GNU Bash through 4.3 processes trailing strings after function definitions in the values of environment variables, which allows remote attackers to execute code. This CVE correctly remediates the vulnerability in CVE-2014-6271.

CVE-2014-7169

Exploited in the wild. Fix this first.

CISA added it to the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on 2022-01-28: attackers are using it right now.

CISA KEV: Listed; Added 2022-01-28 · federal fix-by 2022-07-28
EPSS (30 days): 100%; Higher than 99.9% of CVEs · 2026-11-01
CVSS v3.1: 9.8 Critical; CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

What CISA says

GNU Bourne-Again Shell (Bash) Arbitrary Code Execution Vulnerability

Apply updates per vendor instructions.

NVD description · published 2014-09-25

GNU Bash through 4.3 bash43-025 processes trailing strings after certain malformed function definitions in the values of environment variables, which allows remote attackers to write to files or possibly have unknown other impact via a crafted environment, as demonstrated by vectors involving the ForceCommand feature in OpenSSH sshd, the mod_cgi and mod_cgid modules in the Apache HTTP Server, scripts executed by unspecified DHCP clients, and other situations in which setting the environment occurs across a privilege boundary from Bash execution. NOTE: this vulnerability exists because of an incomplete fix for CVE-2014-6271.

Full record on NVD

Got a whole scan? Scan Hub runs this check on every finding in your Nessus, Qualys, Rapid7 or OpenVAS export and ranks the report by it.

Try it free

How to check if you are exposed to CVE-2014-7169

Find every GNU Bourne-Again Shell (Bash) system you or your clients run, including ones exposed to the internet. Those come first: CISA only lists flaws attackers are already using.
Compare each version with the fixed versions in the vendor advisory. Where no fix exists yet, apply the vendor’s mitigation or take the system off the internet.
Run a credentialed vulnerability scan to catch the systems you missed, then check that the next scan no longer reports CVE-2014-7169.

US federal agencies had to fix this by 2022-07-28. Everyone else should treat that deadline as a guide: if it has passed, this is overdue.

Affected versions

Versions the National Vulnerability Database lists as vulnerable to CVE-2014-7169. Check the vendor advisory for the exact fixed builds before you sign anything off.

Product	Vulnerable versions
GNU Bash	up to and including 4.3
Arista EOS	from 4.9.0 before 4.9.12; from 4.10.0 before 4.10.9; from 4.11.0 before 4.11.11; from 4.12.0 before 4.12.9; from 4.13.0 before 4.13.9; from 4.14.0 before 4.14.4f
Oracle Linux	4; 5; 6
Qnap QTS	before 4.1.1; 4.1.1; 4.1.1-build_0927
Mageia	3.0; 4.0
Redhat Gluster Storage Server FOR On-Premise	2.1

NVD lists 24 more affected products; see the full record on NVD.

Timeline

2014-09-25 · Published in the National Vulnerability Database
2022-01-28 · Added to CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog, 2,682 days after it was published
2022-07-28 · Fix-by date for US federal agencies, passed 1,557 days ago

Weakness type

CWE-78

More exploited GNU vulnerabilities

CISA lists 5 exploited GNU vulnerabilities. The closest matches:

Keep going

Sources: CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog (version 2026.10.30); EPSS data from FIRST.org; CVSS and descriptions from the NIST National Vulnerability Database. Checked 2026-11-01. This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD.