CVE-2019-11481
Apport reads arbitrary files if ~/.config/apport/settings is a symlink
Kevin Backhouse discovered that apport would read a user-supplied configuration file with elevated privileges. By replacing the file with a symbolic link, a user could get apport to read any file on the system as root, with unknown consequences.
Attack profile
How easy it is to exploit
- Attack vector
- Local
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges needed
- Low
- User interaction
- None
What an attacker can affect
- Confidentiality
- Low
- Integrity
- None
- Availability
- None
Exploit likelihood
What each source reports
CVE List Score used
Apport reads arbitrary files if ~/.config/apport/settings is a symlink
Kevin Backhouse discovered that apport would read a user-supplied configuration file with elevated privileges. By replacing the file with a symbolic link, a user could get apport to read any file on the system as root, with unknown consequences.
- Record
CVE-2019-11481- CVSS 3.1
- 3.8 Low
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:L/I:N/A:N - Updated
- 2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2019-3154
Kevin Backhouse discovered that apport would read a user-supplied configuration file with elevated privileges. By replacing the file with a symbolic link, a user could get apport to read any file on the system as root, with unknown consequences.
- Record
EUVD-2019-3154- CVSS 3.1
- 3.8 Low
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:L/I:N/A:N - Updated
- 2026-11-03
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-7hrm-rprg-v656
Kevin Backhouse discovered that apport would read a user-supplied configuration file with...
Kevin Backhouse discovered that apport would read a user-supplied configuration file with elevated privileges. By replacing the file with a symbolic link, a user could get apport to read any file on the system as root, with unknown consequences.
- Record
GHSA-7hrm-rprg-v656- CVSS 3.1
- 7.8 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-59
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
NVD
Kevin Backhouse discovered that apport would read a user-supplied configuration file with elevated privileges. By replacing the file with a symbolic link, a user could get apport to read any file on the system as root, with unknown consequences.
- Record
CVE-2019-11481- CVSS 3.1
- 3.8 Low
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:L/I:N/A:N - CVSS 3.1
- 7.8 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - CVSS 2.0
- 6.1 Medium
AV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:P/A:P - Weakness
- CWE-59
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVUBUNTU-CVE-2019-11481
Kevin Backhouse discovered that apport would read a user-supplied configuration file with elevated privileges. By replacing the file with a symbolic link, a user could get apport to read any file on the system as root, with unknown consequences.
- Record
UBUNTU-CVE-2019-11481- CVSS 3.1
- 7.8 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - CVSS 3.1
- 3.8 Low
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:L/I:N/A:N - Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVUSN-4171-1 No score
apport vulnerabilities
Kevin Backhouse discovered Apport would read its user-controlled settings file as the root user. This could be used by a local attacker to possibly crash Apport or have other unspecified consequences. (CVE-2019-11481)
Sander Bos discovered a race-condition in Apport during core dump creation. This could be used by a local attacker to generate a crash report for a privileged process that is readable by an unprivileged user. (CVE-2019-11482)
Sander Bos discovered Apport mishandled crash dumps originating from containers. This could be used by a local attacker to generate a crash report for a privileged process that is readable by an unprivileged user. (CVE-2019-11483)
Sander Bos discovered Apport mishandled lock-file creation. This could be used by a local attacker to cause a denial of service against Apport. (CVE-2019-11485)
Kevin Backhouse discovered Apport read various process-specific files with elevated privileges during crash dump generation. This could could be used by a local attacker to generate a crash report for a privileged process that is readable by an unprivileged user. (CVE-2019-15790)
- Record
USN-4171-1- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVUSN-4171-2 No score
apport vulnerabilities
USN-4171-1 fixed several vulnerabilities in apport. This update provides the corresponding update for Ubuntu 14.04 ESM.
Original advisory details:
Kevin Backhouse discovered Apport would read its user-controlled settings file as the root user. This could be used by a local attacker to possibly crash Apport or have other unspecified consequences. (CVE-2019-11481)
Sander Bos discovered a race-condition in Apport during core dump creation. This could be used by a local attacker to generate a crash report for a privileged process that is readable by an unprivileged user. (CVE-2019-11482)
Sander Bos discovered Apport mishandled crash dumps originating from containers. This could be used by a local attacker to generate a crash report for a privileged process that is readable by an unprivileged user. (CVE-2019-11483)
Sander Bos discovered Apport mishandled lock-file creation. This could be used by a local attacker to cause a denial of service against Apport. (CVE-2019-11485)
Kevin Backhouse discovered Apport read various process-specific files with elevated privileges during crash dump generation. This could could be used by a local attacker to generate a crash report for a privileged process that is readable by an unprivileged user. (CVE-2019-15790)
- Record
USN-4171-2- Updated
- 2026-11-02
Affected products
Affected packages
| Package | Affected | Fixed |
|---|---|---|
apportUbuntu:Pro:14.04:LTS |
before 2.14.1-0ubuntu3.29+esm2, plus listed versions 2.12.5-0ubuntu22.12.6-0ubuntu12.12.7-0ubuntu12.12.7-0ubuntu22.12.7-0ubuntu3 Show 38 moreShow less2.12.7-0ubuntu62.13.1-0ubuntu12.13.1-0ubuntu22.13.2-0ubuntu22.13.2-0ubuntu32.13.2-0ubuntu42.13.2-0ubuntu52.13.3-0ubuntu12.14-0ubuntu12.14.1-0ubuntu12.14.1-0ubuntu22.14.1-0ubuntu32.14.1-0ubuntu3.12.14.1-0ubuntu3.22.14.1-0ubuntu3.32.14.1-0ubuntu3.42.14.1-0ubuntu3.52.14.1-0ubuntu3.62.14.1-0ubuntu3.72.14.1-0ubuntu3.82.14.1-0ubuntu3.92.14.1-0ubuntu3.102.14.1-0ubuntu3.112.14.1-0ubuntu3.122.14.1-0ubuntu3.132.14.1-0ubuntu3.152.14.1-0ubuntu3.162.14.1-0ubuntu3.182.14.1-0ubuntu3.192.14.1-0ubuntu3.202.14.1-0ubuntu3.212.14.1-0ubuntu3.232.14.1-0ubuntu3.242.14.1-0ubuntu3.252.14.1-0ubuntu3.272.14.1-0ubuntu3.282.14.1-0ubuntu3.292.14.1-0ubuntu3.29+esm1 |
2.14.1-0ubuntu3.29+esm2 |
apportUbuntu:16.04:LTS |
before 2.20.1-0ubuntu2.20, plus listed versions 2.19.1-0ubuntu32.19.2-0ubuntu12.19.2-0ubuntu22.19.2-0ubuntu32.19.2-0ubuntu4 Show 28 moreShow less2.19.2-0ubuntu52.19.2-0ubuntu62.19.2-0ubuntu82.19.2-0ubuntu92.19.3-0ubuntu12.19.3-0ubuntu22.19.3-0ubuntu32.19.4-0ubuntu12.19.4-0ubuntu22.20-0ubuntu22.20-0ubuntu32.20.1-0ubuntu12.20.1-0ubuntu22.20.1-0ubuntu2.12.20.1-0ubuntu2.22.20.1-0ubuntu2.42.20.1-0ubuntu2.52.20.1-0ubuntu2.62.20.1-0ubuntu2.92.20.1-0ubuntu2.102.20.1-0ubuntu2.122.20.1-0ubuntu2.132.20.1-0ubuntu2.142.20.1-0ubuntu2.152.20.1-0ubuntu2.162.20.1-0ubuntu2.172.20.1-0ubuntu2.182.20.1-0ubuntu2.19 |
2.20.1-0ubuntu2.20 |
apportUbuntu:18.04:LTS |
before 2.20.9-0ubuntu7.8, plus listed versions 2.20.7-0ubuntu32.20.7-0ubuntu3.12.20.7-0ubuntu42.20.8-0ubuntu12.20.8-0ubuntu2 Show 21 moreShow less2.20.8-0ubuntu32.20.8-0ubuntu42.20.8-0ubuntu52.20.8-0ubuntu62.20.8-0ubuntu72.20.8-0ubuntu82.20.8-0ubuntu92.20.8-0ubuntu102.20.9-0ubuntu12.20.9-0ubuntu22.20.9-0ubuntu42.20.9-0ubuntu52.20.9-0ubuntu62.20.9-0ubuntu72.20.9-0ubuntu7.12.20.9-0ubuntu7.22.20.9-0ubuntu7.32.20.9-0ubuntu7.42.20.9-0ubuntu7.52.20.9-0ubuntu7.62.20.9-0ubuntu7.7 |
2.20.9-0ubuntu7.8 |
History
| Recorded | Changed | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| aliases | EUVD | |
| first indexed | CVE List, GitHub Advisories, NVD, OSV |
Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.
In short
CVE-2019-11481 is a low vulnerability (CVSS 3.8) in Apport Project Apport, published August 27, 2019. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 0.45%, the 39th percentile. Fixed in apport 2.14.1-0ubuntu3.29+esm2.