The close_connections function in /opt/cma/bin/clear_keys.pl in Sophos Web Appliance before 3.7.9.1 and 3.8 before 3.8.1.1 allows local users to gain privileges via shell metacharacters in the second argument.
CVE-2013-4984
This CVE was only ever scored under CVSS v2.0. NVD CVSS v2.0 base 7.2 — v2 rates that HIGH (v2 bands: LOW 0.0–3.9 / MEDIUM 4.0–6.9 / HIGH 7.0–10.0; v2 has no CRITICAL band). Vector AV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C. CVSS v2 is an older, coarser metric than v3.1/v4.0 (no Scope, no User Interaction, no Attack Requirements), so it is not directly comparable to a v3 or v4 score. NVD has never re-scored this record under v3. EPSS predicts 8.1% exploitation probability in the next 30 days, which is reflected in EG Risk but does not lift the v2 base. Confidence: LOW.
- Public exploit code is available (Metasploit, Exploit-DB (verified), public exploit)
No vendor fix yet — apply a workaround or compensating control (WAF / firewall / segmentation) and watch for a patch.
- CVSS v2.0 (legacy)
- 7.2HIGHNVD never assigned a CVSS v3 rating to this CVE
- EG Score
- 7.2(low)
- EG Risk
- 63(Track)EG Risk 63/100SSVC: Track
EG Risk is EchelonGraph's 0–100 priority score: it fuses intrinsic severity with real-world exploitation and automatability so you can rank equal-severity CVEs and fix the most dangerous first. Higher = act sooner. Distinct from the 0–10 EG Score (severity).
How it’s computedSeverity72% × 45%Exploitation65% × 40%Automatability30% × 15%Action: Routine — remediate on your standard cadence. - EPSS PROB
- 8%
- EPSS %ILE
- 94%
- KEV
- Not listed
Published
September 10, 2013
Last Modified
April 29, 2026
References (4)
- cve@mitrehttp://www.coresecurity.com/advisories/sophos-web-protection-appliance-multiple-vulnerabilities
- cve@mitrehttp://www.sophos.com/en-us/support/knowledgebase/119773.aspx
- af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108http://www.coresecurity.com/advisories/sophos-web-protection-appliance-multiple-vulnerabilities
- af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108http://www.sophos.com/en-us/support/knowledgebase/119773.aspx
Weakness Classification(1)
MITRE Common Weakness Enumeration — the root-cause categories this CVE belongs to.
Data Freshness Timeline
(refreshed 8× in last 7d / 34× in last 30d)
Each row is a source pipeline that fetched or updated this CVE on that date, with what changed. For example, "NVD update" means NVD published or revised its analysis for this CVE; "MITRE cvelistV5" means we ingested or refreshed it from the CNA feed. Most recent first.
Showing the most recent 100 of 101 total refreshes for this CVE.
- 2026-07-26 13:48 UTCEG score recompute▲ 7.20
- 2026-07-23 14:14 UTCEPSS rescore
- 2026-07-23 01:10 UTCEG score recompute
- 2026-07-23 00:14 UTCEG score recompute
- 2026-07-22 21:52 UTCEG score recompute
- 2026-07-22 14:04 UTCEPSS rescore
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- 2026-07-05 02:26 UTCEPSS rescore
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- 2026-05-29 13:41 UTCEPSS rescore
- 2026-05-29 13:41 UTCEPSS rescore
- 2026-05-28 22:35 UTCEG score recompute
- 2026-05-28 22:35 UTCGHSA enrichment
- 2026-05-28 13:42 UTCEPSS rescore
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- 2026-05-18 21:29 UTCEPSS rescore
Publicly available exploits
(3 references)Working exploit code is in the public domain (1 Metasploit module) (2 Exploit-DB entries). Defenders should treat patch urgency accordingly — public PoCs typically lead to mass-exploitation within 24-72 hours.
- Exploit-DBEDB-28332✓ verifiedFirst seen Sep 17, 2013
Sophos Web Protection Appliance - clear_keys.pl Privilege Escalation (Metasploit)
Open source ↗ - Exploit-DBEDB-28175✓ verifiedFirst seen Sep 9, 2013
Sophos Web Protection Appliance - Multiple Vulnerabilities
Open source ↗ - Metasploitexploit/linux/local/sophos_wpa_clear_keys✓ verifiedFirst seen Sep 6, 2013
Sophos Web Protection Appliance clear_keys.pl Local Privilege Escalation
Open source ↗
Related CVEs(same CWE)
Same CWE
10 shownCWE-78
- CVE-2009-20011EG 10.0CRITICAL
- CVE-2011-10017EG 10.0CRITICAL
- CVE-2012-1166EG 10.0EPSS p91HIGH
- CVE-2012-2976EG 10.0EPSS p92HIGH
- CVE-2012-2953EG 10.0EPSS p99HIGH
- CVE-2011-4502EG 10.0EPSS p92HIGH
- CVE-2011-2148EG 10.0EPSS p92HIGH
- CVE-2011-0382EG 10.0EPSS p90HIGH
- CVE-2011-0381EG 10.0EPSS p92HIGH
- CVE-2011-0372EG 10.0HIGH
Frequently asked(4)
What is CVE-2013-4984?
When was CVE-2013-4984 disclosed?
Is CVE-2013-4984 actively exploited?
How do I remediate CVE-2013-4984?
Dependency Blast Radius
Explore the affected products and dependency analysis for CVE-2013-4984
Is Your Infrastructure Affected by CVE-2013-4984?
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