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Vulnerability record · CVE-2016-8742 · published 12 February 2018

CVE-2016-8742: Apache couchdb permissions and access controls vulnerability

Apache · Couchdb

The Windows installer that the Apache CouchDB team provides was vulnerable to local privilege escalation. All files in the install inherit the file permissions of the parent directory and therefore a non-privileged user can substitute any executable for the nssm.exe service launcher, or CouchDB batch or binary files. A subsequent service or server restart will then run that binary with administrator privilege. This issue affected CouchDB 2.0.0 (Windows platform only) and was addressed in CouchDB 2.0.0.1.

7.8 CVSS 3.0 High EPSS 2.0% · top 20.5% CWE-264 · Permissions and access controls
7.8CVSS 3.0 base score, v2 7.2
2.0%EPSS exploitation probability, 30 days
NoNot in CISA KEV
1Affected product versions listed by NVD
6References
17 Jun 2026Last modified by NVD

Description

The Windows installer that the Apache CouchDB team provides was vulnerable to local privilege escalation. All files in the install inherit the file permissions of the parent directory and therefore a non-privileged user can substitute any executable for the nssm.exe service launcher, or CouchDB batch or binary files. A subsequent service or server restart will then run that binary with administrator privilege. This issue affected CouchDB 2.0.0 (Windows platform only) and was addressed in CouchDB 2.0.0.1.

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

Affected products

1 vulnerable configurations from NVD's CPE data, grouped by vendor and product.

References

LinkTags
http://mail-archives.apache.org/mod_mbox/couchdb-dev/201612.mbox/%3C825F65E1-0E5F-4E1F-8053-CF2C6200C526%40apache.org%3E Vendor Advisory
http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/94766 Third Party AdvisoryVDB Entry
https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/40865/ Third Party AdvisoryVDB Entry
http://mail-archives.apache.org/mod_mbox/couchdb-dev/201612.mbox/%3C825F65E1-0E5F-4E1F-8053-CF2C6200C526%40apache.org%3E Vendor Advisory
http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/94766 Third Party AdvisoryVDB Entry
https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/40865/ Third Party AdvisoryVDB Entry

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Same products first, then exploited flaws of the same weakness class.

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Source: NIST National Vulnerability Database (record CVE-2016-8742), CISA KEV, FIRST EPSS (scores of 2026-09-28). This page is refreshed as NVD updates the record.