CVE-2011-2147: Openswan 2.2.x does not properly restrict permissions for (1) /var/run/starter.pid, related to starter.c in th

Routine

LOW 3.6DOWNGRADE

CVE-2011-2147 is a low-severity flaw (CVSS 3.6) affecting openswan. Below: why it ranks where it does, which versions are affected, what to do, and the exact commands.

Openswan 2.2.x does not properly restrict permissions for (1) /var/run/starter.pid, related to starter.c in the IPsec starter, and (2) /var/lock/subsys/ipsec, which allows local users to kill arbitrary processes by writing a PID to a file, or possibly bypass disk quotas by writing arbitrary data to a file, as demonstrated by files with 0666 permissions, a different vulnerability than CVE-2011-1784.

Why this priority

No elevated risk signals yet

No fix is published yet: follow the downgrade or mitigation steps.

Risk facts

CVSS score	3.6 (Low)
EPSS exploit chance	0.3% (top 72%)
CISA exploited list	No
Weakness	CWE-264
Published	2011-05-20
Last modified	2026-06-16

Publisher (CNA): MITRE · Vendor: openswan

Last updated 2026-06-16 · Sources: CVE Program, NVD, CISA KEV, EPSS and vendor advisories · How we score

Am I affected?

Timeline

2011-05-20 22:55 UTCPublished CVE record published
2026-06-16 23:30 UTCUpdated Record last modified

openswan openswan DOWNGRADE

Affected: 2.2.0 · 2.2.1

Fixed in: no fixed release known

Safe to downgrade to: a release before 2.2.0

1. Check installed version

apt-cache policy openswan || rpm -q openswan || openswan --version

2. No fixed release: DOWNGRADE to a release before 2.2.0 (Debian / Ubuntu)

apt-cache madison openswan sudo apt install openswan=<VERSION_BEFORE_2.2.0> sudo apt-mark hold openswan

2. No fixed release: DOWNGRADE (RHEL / Amazon Linux / Fedora)

dnf --showduplicates list openswan sudo dnf downgrade openswan-<VERSION_BEFORE_2.2.0> sudo dnf versionlock add openswan

Downgrade risk

Downgrading can break dependent software and may reopen older bugs. Read the distro advisory first and test on a non-production host.

After downgrade

Restart the service, and keep the package held until a fixed release ships.

Verify at the official source NVD · CVE Program · Report a problem with this page
Scores and fixes here are computed automatically from those and other public sources. Confirm with the vendor advisory before changing production systems.

Quick answers

How do I fix CVE-2011-2147?

openswan: downgrade or apply the listed mitigation. Exact commands for each OS are on this page.

Is CVE-2011-2147 being exploited?

CVE-2011-2147 is not on the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities list at the time of the last update. Check again, as this can change.

What does CVE-2011-2147 affect?

CVE-2011-2147 affects openswan. Severity is low (CVSS 3.6). Openswan 2.2.x does not properly restrict permissions for (1) /var/run/starter.pid, related to starter.c in the IPsec starter, and (2) /var/lock/subsys/ipsec, which allows local users to kill arbitrary processes by writing a PID to a file,

How urgent is CVE-2011-2147?

Priority 20/100. No elevated risk signals yet.

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References

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