GNOME Display Manager (gdm) 2.x before 2.32.1 allows local users to change the ownership of arbitrary files via a symlink attack on a (1) dm
GNOME Display Manager (gdm) 2.x before 2.32.1 allows local users to change the ownership of arbitrary files via a symlink attack on a (1) dmrc or (2) face icon file under /var/cache/gdm/.
- Published
- Mar 31, 2011
- Updated
- Jun 16, 2026
- EPSS
- 0.4% · 29th percentile
- CWE
- CWE-59
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Report tools
Action score
27
Monitor
Low priority for now.
- CVSS
- 27 / 40 · 6.9 / 10
- CISA KEV
- 0 / 30 · Not listed
- EPSS
- 0 / 30 · 0.4%
Affected systems
| Vendor | Product | CPE |
|---|---|---|
| gnome | gdm | cpe:2.3:a:gnome:gdm |
Affected versions
NVD version ranges (for catalog products). Add the product to your stack with a version and matching uses these.
- gnome gdm2.0
- gnome gdm2.13
- gnome gdm2.14
- gnome gdm2.15
- gnome gdm2.16
- gnome gdm2.17
- gnome gdm2.18
- gnome gdm2.19
- gnome gdm2.2
- gnome gdm2.20
- gnome gdm2.21
- gnome gdm2.22
- gnome gdm2.23
- gnome gdm2.24
- gnome gdm2.25
- gnome gdm2.26
- gnome gdm2.27
- gnome gdm2.28
- gnome gdm2.29
- gnome gdm2.3
Package-level exposure
OSV and GitHub Advisory data: ecosystem, package and range. SBOM matching uses this table.
| Ecosystem | Package | Affected range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| Debian:12 | gdm3 | before 2.30.5-9 | 2.30.5-9 |
| Debian:6.0 | gdm3 | before 2.30.5-6squeeze2 | 2.30.5-6squeeze2 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:6::client | gdm | before 1:2.30.4-21.el6_0.1 | 1:2.30.4-21.el6_0.1 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:6::client | gdm-debuginfo | before 1:2.30.4-21.el6_0.1 | 1:2.30.4-21.el6_0.1 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:6::client | gdm-libs | before 1:2.30.4-21.el6_0.1 | 1:2.30.4-21.el6_0.1 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:6::client | gdm-plugin-fingerprint | before 1:2.30.4-21.el6_0.1 | 1:2.30.4-21.el6_0.1 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:6::client | gdm-plugin-smartcard | before 1:2.30.4-21.el6_0.1 | 1:2.30.4-21.el6_0.1 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:6::client | gdm-user-switch-applet | before 1:2.30.4-21.el6_0.1 | 1:2.30.4-21.el6_0.1 |
Same product
gnome: all recordsOther highest-scoring records for the same primary product.
- CVE-2000-0491Buffer overflow in the XDMCP parsing code of GNOME gdm, KDE kdm, and wdm allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary commands or cause a de45Plan
- CVE-2011-1709GNOME Display Manager (gdm) before 2.32.2, when glib 2.28 is used, enables execution of a web browser with the uid of the gdm account, which28Monitor
- CVE-2009-2697The Red Hat build script for the GNOME Display Manager (GDM) before 2.16.0-56 on Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) 5 omits TCP Wrapper support28Monitor
- CVE-2000-0504libICE in XFree86 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service by specifying a large value which is not properly checked by the SKIP21Monitor
- CVE-2003-0549The X Display Manager Control Protocol (XDMCP) support for GDM before 2.4.1.6 allows attackers to cause a denial of service (daemon crash) v20Monitor
- CVE-2003-0548The X Display Manager Control Protocol (XDMCP) support for GDM before 2.4.1.6 allows attackers to cause a denial of service (daemon crash) w20Monitor
Remediation
Which version to upgrade to
Fix versions compiled from the vendor, package registries and Microsoft. Verify the vendor's note before upgrading.
| Product / package | Fixed version | Source |
|---|---|---|
| debian:gdm3 | 2.30.5-9 · Debian:12 | Package registry (OSV) |
| red hat:gdm | 1:2.30.4-21.el6_0.1 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:6::client | Package registry (OSV) |
| red hat:gdm-debuginfo | 1:2.30.4-21.el6_0.1 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:6::client | Package registry (OSV) |
| red hat:gdm-libs | 1:2.30.4-21.el6_0.1 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:6::client | Package registry (OSV) |
| red hat:gdm-plugin-fingerprint | 1:2.30.4-21.el6_0.1 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:6::client | Package registry (OSV) |
| red hat:gdm-plugin-smartcard | 1:2.30.4-21.el6_0.1 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:6::client | Package registry (OSV) |
| red hat:gdm-user-switch-applet | 1:2.30.4-21.el6_0.1 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:6::client | Package registry (OSV) |
Exploit status
No known public exploit
No public exploit has been observed yet. That doesn't mean you're safe, only that the bar is a little higher.
Research context
For pentesters and researchers: attack profile, score disagreement, timeline, patch commits, credits, variant and chain candidates, bug bounty scope. All derived from existing data; no exploit code.
Timeline
From publication to today: proof of concept, Metasploit module, CISA KEV and fix record. Dates are as reported by the sources.
No dated events beyond publication.
FIRST EPSS daily score; only changes of 0.01 or more are recorded (step chart).
Patch and commit links
Commit, PR and diff links among the references. A starting point for patch-diffing and variant hunting; fixes, not exploits.
No commit or PR link among the references.
Credits
All researchersFinders, reporters and analysts named in the CNA record. Click a name for that researcher’s other records.
No credits in the CNA record.
Variant candidates
Same product, same weakness class, within 18 months. If the patch missed the root cause, the sibling bug is here.
No nightly-computed relations.
Chain candidates
An authentication bypass and a privilege-requiring bug in the same product, published close together: combined they may become an unauthenticated path.
—
Bug bounty scope
No known public program.
Source: bounty-targets-data (public HackerOne, Bugcrowd, Intigriti, YesWeHack listings).
Technical details
Attack conditions
If successful
- Confidentiality
- C · data can be read
- Integrity
- C · data or configuration can be modified
- Availability
- C · the service can be disrupted
- Attack complexity
- M
- Confidentiality impact
- C
- Integrity impact
- C
- Availability impact
- C
Weakness class (CWE)
CWE-59 · Improper Link Resolution Before File Access ('Link Following')CVSS vector
AV:L/AC:M/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C
nvd-primary
Attack context
MITRE CAPEC attack patterns and ATT&CK techniques for this weakness class (CWE). A starting point for detection rules and threat hunting.
Attack patterns (CAPEC)
ATT&CK techniques
- Obfuscated Files or Information: HTML SmugglingT1027.006
- Obfuscated Files or Information: Embedded PayloadsT1027.009
- Boot or Logon Autostart Execution:Shortcut ModificationT1547.009
- Hide Artifacts: Resource ForkingT1564.009
- Hijack Execution Flow: Executable Installer File Permissions WeaknessT1574.005
- Hijack Execution Flow: Services File Permissions WeaknessT1574.010
Noroxi analysis
No Noroxi analysis for this record yet
We don't hand-write analysis for all 385,000+ vulnerabilities; that wouldn't be honest. For notable, high-impact vulnerabilities our team writes the mechanism, detection and remediation steps.
We use this product, ask for helpChange log
- Fix✗ → ✓
For records you follow, these changes also arrive as notifications. →
References
- ftp.gnome.org/pub/GNOME/sources/gdm/2.32/gdm-2.32.1.news
- lists.fedoraproject.org/pipermail/package-announce/2011-April/057333.html
- lists.fedoraproject.org/pipermail/package-announce/2011-April/057931.html
- mail.gnome.org/archives/gdm-list/2011-March/msg00020.html
- secunia.com/advisories/43714
- secunia.com/advisories/43854
- secunia.com/advisories/44021
- securitytracker.com/id?1025264
- www.debian.org/security/2011/dsa-2205
- www.mandriva.com/security/advisories?name=MDVSA-2011:070
- www.redhat.com/support/errata/RHSA-2011-0395.html
- www.securityfocus.com/bid/47063
- www.ubuntu.com/usn/USN-1099-1
- www.vupen.com/english/advisories/2011/0786
- www.vupen.com/english/advisories/2011/0787
- www.vupen.com/english/advisories/2011/0797
- www.vupen.com/english/advisories/2011/0847
- www.vupen.com/english/advisories/2011/0911
- bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=688323
- exchange.xforce.ibmcloud.com/vulnerabilities/66377
Vendor advisories and official records. Exploit/PoC links are deliberately left out.