#VU85451 Heap-based buffer overflow in X.org Server and Xwayland - CVE-2024-21885

Vulnerability identifier: #VU85451

Vulnerability risk: Low

CVSSv4.0: 5.9 [CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:U/U:Clear]

CVE-ID: CVE-2024-21885

CWE-ID: CWE-122

Exploitation vector: Local

Exploit availability: No

Vulnerable software:
X.org Server
Server applications / Other server solutions
Xwayland
Client/Desktop applications / Multimedia software

Vendor: X.org

Description

The vulnerability allows a local user to escalate privileges on the system.

The vulnerability exists due to a boundary error within the XISendDeviceHierarchyEvent() function. A local user can trigger a heap-based buffer overflow and execute arbitrary code on the target system.

Mitigation
Install updates from vendor's website.

Vulnerable software versions

X.org Server: 21.0.99.1 - 21.1.10

Xwayland: 23.0.99.901 - 23.2.3

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External links
https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2024-21885
https://www.zerodayinitiative.com/advisories/ZDI-24-120/

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Q & A

Can this vulnerability be exploited remotely?

No. This vulnerability can be exploited locally. The attacker should have authentication credentials and successfully authenticate on the system.

Is there known malware, which exploits this vulnerability?

No. We are not aware of malware exploiting this vulnerability.