cvekit
LIVE
ATT&CK matrix

T1059.004

Unix Shell · sub-technique of T1059

6 CVEs mapped
TA0002Execution
Adversaries may abuse Unix shell commands and scripts for execution. Unix shells are the primary command prompt on Linux, macOS, and ESXi systems, though many variations of the Unix shell exist (e.g. sh, ash, bash, zsh, etc.) depending on the specific OS or distribution.(Citation: DieNet Bash)(Citation: Apple ZShell) Unix shells can control every aspect of a system, with certain commands requiring elevated privileges. Unix shells also support scripts that enable sequential execution of commands as well as other typical programming operations such as conditionals and loops. Common uses of shell scripts include long or repetitive tasks, or the need to run the same set of commands on multiple systems. Adversaries may abuse Unix shells to execute various commands or payloads. Interactive shells may be accessed through command and control channels or during lateral movement such as with [SSH](https://attack.mitre.org/techniques/T1021/004). Adversaries may also leverage shell scripts to deliver and execute multiple commands on victims or as part of payloads used for persistence. Some systems, such as embedded devices, lightweight Linux distributions, and ESXi servers, may leverage stripped-down Unix shells via Busybox, a small executable that contains a variety of tools, including a simple shell.

Platforms4

ESXiLinuxmacOSNetwork Devices

CVEs mapped to this technique6

CVEDescriptionSeverityEPSSFlagsModified
CVE-2014-6271

GNU Bash through 4.3 processes trailing strings after function definitions in the values of environment variables, which allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code 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, aka "ShellShock." NOTE: the original fix for this issue was incorrect; CVE-2014-7169 has been assigned to cover the vulnerability that is still present after the incorrect fix.

CRITICAL9.8
100%p100
KEVWeaponized
2026-04-22
CVE-2014-7186

The redirection implementation in parse.y in GNU Bash through 4.3 bash43-026 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (out-of-bounds array access and application crash) or possibly have unspecified other impact via crafted use of here documents, aka the "redir_stack" issue.

NONE
64%p99
Functional
2026-05-06
CVE-2014-6277

GNU Bash through 4.3 bash43-026 does not properly parse function definitions in the values of environment variables, which allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service (uninitialized memory access, and untrusted-pointer read and write operations) 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 and CVE-2014-7169.

NONE
64%p99
Functional
2026-05-06
CVE-2016-9684

The SonicWall Secure Remote Access server (version 8.1.0.2-14sv) is vulnerable to a Remote Command Injection vulnerability in its web administrative interface. This vulnerability occurs in the 'viewcert' CGI (/cgi-bin/viewcert) component responsible for processing SSL certificate information. The CGI application doesn't properly escape the information it's passed in the 'CERT' variable before a call to system() is performed - allowing for remote command injection. Exploitation of this vulnerability yields shell access to the remote machine under the nobody user account.

NONE
7.06%p93
PoC
2026-05-13
CVE-2012-1795

webglimpse.cgi in Webglimpse before 2.20.0 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary commands via shell metacharacters in the query parameter, as exploited in the wild in March 2012.

NONE
4.22%p90
2026-04-29
CVE-2014-9938

contrib/completion/git-prompt.sh in Git before 1.9.3 does not sanitize branch names in the PS1 variable, allowing a malicious repository to cause code execution.

HIGH8.8
2.32%p81
2026-05-13