driver/subprocs.c in XScreenSaver before 5.34 does not properly perform an internal consistency check, which allows physically proximate att
driver/subprocs.c in XScreenSaver before 5.34 does not properly perform an internal consistency check, which allows physically proximate attackers to bypass the lock screen by hot swapping monitors.
- Published
- Nov 10, 2015
- Updated
- Jun 16, 2026
- EPSS
- 0.5% · 41th percentile
- CWE
- CWE-264
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Report tools
Action score
8
Monitor
Low priority for now.
- CVSS
- 8 / 40 · 2.1 / 10
- CISA KEV
- 0 / 30 · Not listed
- EPSS
- 0 / 30 · 0.5%
Affected systems
| Vendor | Product | CPE |
|---|---|---|
| canonical | ubuntu linux | cpe:2.3:o:canonical:ubuntu_linux |
| xscreensaver project | xscreensaver | cpe:2.3:a:xscreensaver_project:xscreensaver |
Affected versions
NVD version ranges (for catalog products). Add the product to your stack with a version and matching uses these.
- canonical ubuntu linux12.04
- xscreensaver project xscreensaver5.33
Package-level exposure
OSV and GitHub Advisory data: ecosystem, package and range. SBOM matching uses this table.
| Ecosystem | Package | Affected range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| Debian:12 | xscreensaver | before 5.34-1 | 5.34-1 |
| Debian:6.0 | xscreensaver | before 5.11-1+deb6u11 | 5.11-1+deb6u11 |
| Debian:7 | xscreensaver | before 5.15-3+deb7u1 | 5.15-3+deb7u1 |
| Debian:8 | xscreensaver | before 5.30-1+deb8u1 | 5.30-1+deb8u1 |
| openSUSE:Tumbleweed | xscreensaver | before 5.34-1.6 | 5.34-1.6 |
| SUSE:Linux Enterprise Desktop 11 SP3 | xscreensaver | before 5.07-6.36.1 | 5.07-6.36.1 |
| SUSE:Linux Enterprise Desktop 12 | xscreensaver | before 5.22-7.1 | 5.22-7.1 |
Same product
canonical: all recordsOther highest-scoring records for the same primary product.
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- CVE-2016-4054Buffer overflow in Squid 3.x before 3.5.17 and 4.x before 4.0.9 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via crafted Edge Side Incl55Plan
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:xscreensaver | 5.34-1 · Debian:12 | Package registry (OSV) |
| opensuse:xscreensaver | 5.34-1.6 · openSUSE:Tumbleweed | Package registry (OSV) |
| suse:xscreensaver | 5.22-7.1 · SUSE:Linux Enterprise Desktop 12 | 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
- No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.
If successful
- Confidentiality
- none
- Integrity
- P · data or configuration can be modified
- Availability
- none
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Confidentiality impact
- None
- Integrity impact
- P
- Availability impact
- None
Weakness class (CWE)
CWE-264 · Permissions, Privileges, and Access ControlsCVSS vector
AV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:N/I:P/A:N
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.
MITRE has no CAPEC/ATT&CK mapping for this CWE.
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
- lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-updates/2015-11/msg00102.html
- www.debian.org/security/2016/dsa-3438
- www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2015/10/25/1
- www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2015/10/29/12
- www.oracle.com/technetwork/topics/security/bulletinjul2016-3090568.html
- www.securitytracker.com/id/1034052
- www.ubuntu.com/usn/USN-2789-1
- twitter.com/Thaolia/status/656823859304398848
- www.jwz.org/blog/2015/10/xscreensaver-5-34/
Vendor advisories and official records. Exploit/PoC links are deliberately left out.