{"id":"CVE-2019-11481","aliases":["EUVD-2019-3154","GHSA-7hrm-rprg-v656","UBUNTU-CVE-2019-11481","USN-4171-1","USN-4171-2"],"status":"published","title":"Apport reads arbitrary files if ~/.config/apport/settings is a symlink","description":"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.","severity":{"version":"3.1","score":3.8,"vector":"CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:L/I:N/A:N","level":"low","assessor":"cna","from":"cve"},"epss":{"day":"2026-11-09","score":0.00453,"percentile":0.39606,"model":"v2026.06.15"},"facts":{"in_kev":false,"known_exploited":false,"public_exploit":false,"fix_available":true},"cwes":["CWE-59"],"published":"2019-08-27T00:00:00Z","modified":"2026-06-17T02:12:59Z","fixes":[{"ecosystem":"Ubuntu:Pro:14.04:LTS","package":"apport","fixed_in":["2.14.1-0ubuntu3.29+esm2"],"sources":["osv"]},{"ecosystem":"Ubuntu:16.04:LTS","package":"apport","fixed_in":["2.20.1-0ubuntu2.20"],"sources":["osv"]},{"ecosystem":"Ubuntu:18.04:LTS","package":"apport","fixed_in":["2.20.9-0ubuntu7.8"],"sources":["osv"]}],"affected":[{"source":"osv","ecosystem":"Ubuntu:Pro:14.04:LTS","package":"apport","ranges":[{"type":"ECOSYSTEM","events":[{"introduced":"0"},{"fixed":"2.14.1-0ubuntu3.29+esm2"}]}],"versions":["2.12.5-0ubuntu2","2.12.6-0ubuntu1","2.12.7-0ubuntu1","2.12.7-0ubuntu2","2.12.7-0ubuntu3","2.12.7-0ubuntu6","2.13.1-0ubuntu1","2.13.1-0ubuntu2","2.13.2-0ubuntu2","2.13.2-0ubuntu3","2.13.2-0ubuntu4","2.13.2-0ubuntu5","2.13.3-0ubuntu1","2.14-0ubuntu1","2.14.1-0ubuntu1","2.14.1-0ubuntu2","2.14.1-0ubuntu3","2.14.1-0ubuntu3.1","2.14.1-0ubuntu3.2","2.14.1-0ubuntu3.3","2.14.1-0ubuntu3.4","2.14.1-0ubuntu3.5","2.14.1-0ubuntu3.6","2.14.1-0ubuntu3.7","2.14.1-0ubuntu3.8","2.14.1-0ubuntu3.9","2.14.1-0ubuntu3.10","2.14.1-0ubuntu3.11","2.14.1-0ubuntu3.12","2.14.1-0ubuntu3.13","2.14.1-0ubuntu3.15","2.14.1-0ubuntu3.16","2.14.1-0ubuntu3.18","2.14.1-0ubuntu3.19","2.14.1-0ubuntu3.20","2.14.1-0ubuntu3.21","2.14.1-0ubuntu3.23","2.14.1-0ubuntu3.24","2.14.1-0ubuntu3.25","2.14.1-0ubuntu3.27","2.14.1-0ubuntu3.28","2.14.1-0ubuntu3.29","2.14.1-0ubuntu3.29+esm1"]},{"source":"osv","ecosystem":"Ubuntu:16.04:LTS","package":"apport","ranges":[{"type":"ECOSYSTEM","events":[{"introduced":"0"},{"fixed":"2.20.1-0ubuntu2.20"}]}],"versions":["2.19.1-0ubuntu3","2.19.2-0ubuntu1","2.19.2-0ubuntu2","2.19.2-0ubuntu3","2.19.2-0ubuntu4","2.19.2-0ubuntu5","2.19.2-0ubuntu6","2.19.2-0ubuntu8","2.19.2-0ubuntu9","2.19.3-0ubuntu1","2.19.3-0ubuntu2","2.19.3-0ubuntu3","2.19.4-0ubuntu1","2.19.4-0ubuntu2","2.20-0ubuntu2","2.20-0ubuntu3","2.20.1-0ubuntu1","2.20.1-0ubuntu2","2.20.1-0ubuntu2.1","2.20.1-0ubuntu2.2","2.20.1-0ubuntu2.4","2.20.1-0ubuntu2.5","2.20.1-0ubuntu2.6","2.20.1-0ubuntu2.9","2.20.1-0ubuntu2.10","2.20.1-0ubuntu2.12","2.20.1-0ubuntu2.13","2.20.1-0ubuntu2.14","2.20.1-0ubuntu2.15","2.20.1-0ubuntu2.16","2.20.1-0ubuntu2.17","2.20.1-0ubuntu2.18","2.20.1-0ubuntu2.19"]},{"source":"osv","ecosystem":"Ubuntu:18.04:LTS","package":"apport","ranges":[{"type":"ECOSYSTEM","events":[{"introduced":"0"},{"fixed":"2.20.9-0ubuntu7.8"}]}],"versions":["2.20.7-0ubuntu3","2.20.7-0ubuntu3.1","2.20.7-0ubuntu4","2.20.8-0ubuntu1","2.20.8-0ubuntu2","2.20.8-0ubuntu3","2.20.8-0ubuntu4","2.20.8-0ubuntu5","2.20.8-0ubuntu6","2.20.8-0ubuntu7","2.20.8-0ubuntu8","2.20.8-0ubuntu9","2.20.8-0ubuntu10","2.20.9-0ubuntu1","2.20.9-0ubuntu2","2.20.9-0ubuntu4","2.20.9-0ubuntu5","2.20.9-0ubuntu6","2.20.9-0ubuntu7","2.20.9-0ubuntu7.1","2.20.9-0ubuntu7.2","2.20.9-0ubuntu7.3","2.20.9-0ubuntu7.4","2.20.9-0ubuntu7.5","2.20.9-0ubuntu7.6","2.20.9-0ubuntu7.7"]},{"source":"osv","ecosystem":"Ubuntu:16.04:LTS","package":"apport","ranges":[{"type":"ECOSYSTEM","events":[{"introduced":"0"},{"fixed":"2.20.1-0ubuntu2.20"}]}],"versions":["2.19.1-0ubuntu3","2.19.2-0ubuntu1","2.19.2-0ubuntu2","2.19.2-0ubuntu3","2.19.2-0ubuntu4","2.19.2-0ubuntu5","2.19.2-0ubuntu6","2.19.2-0ubuntu8","2.19.2-0ubuntu9","2.19.3-0ubuntu1","2.19.3-0ubuntu2","2.19.3-0ubuntu3","2.19.4-0ubuntu1","2.19.4-0ubuntu2","2.20-0ubuntu2","2.20-0ubuntu3","2.20.1-0ubuntu1","2.20.1-0ubuntu2","2.20.1-0ubuntu2.1","2.20.1-0ubuntu2.2","2.20.1-0ubuntu2.4","2.20.1-0ubuntu2.5","2.20.1-0ubuntu2.6","2.20.1-0ubuntu2.9","2.20.1-0ubuntu2.10","2.20.1-0ubuntu2.12","2.20.1-0ubuntu2.13","2.20.1-0ubuntu2.14","2.20.1-0ubuntu2.15","2.20.1-0ubuntu2.16","2.20.1-0ubuntu2.17","2.20.1-0ubuntu2.18","2.20.1-0ubuntu2.19"],"bundled":5},{"source":"osv","ecosystem":"Ubuntu:18.04:LTS","package":"apport","ranges":[{"type":"ECOSYSTEM","events":[{"introduced":"0"},{"fixed":"2.20.9-0ubuntu7.8"}]}],"versions":["2.20.7-0ubuntu3","2.20.7-0ubuntu3.1","2.20.7-0ubuntu4","2.20.8-0ubuntu1","2.20.8-0ubuntu2","2.20.8-0ubuntu3","2.20.8-0ubuntu4","2.20.8-0ubuntu5","2.20.8-0ubuntu6","2.20.8-0ubuntu7","2.20.8-0ubuntu8","2.20.8-0ubuntu9","2.20.8-0ubuntu10","2.20.9-0ubuntu1","2.20.9-0ubuntu2","2.20.9-0ubuntu4","2.20.9-0ubuntu5","2.20.9-0ubuntu6","2.20.9-0ubuntu7","2.20.9-0ubuntu7.1","2.20.9-0ubuntu7.2","2.20.9-0ubuntu7.3","2.20.9-0ubuntu7.4","2.20.9-0ubuntu7.5","2.20.9-0ubuntu7.6","2.20.9-0ubuntu7.7"],"bundled":5},{"source":"osv","ecosystem":"Ubuntu:Pro:14.04:LTS","package":"apport","ranges":[{"type":"ECOSYSTEM","events":[{"introduced":"0"},{"fixed":"2.14.1-0ubuntu3.29+esm2"}]}],"versions":["2.12.5-0ubuntu2","2.12.6-0ubuntu1","2.12.7-0ubuntu1","2.12.7-0ubuntu2","2.12.7-0ubuntu3","2.12.7-0ubuntu6","2.13.1-0ubuntu1","2.13.1-0ubuntu2","2.13.2-0ubuntu2","2.13.2-0ubuntu3","2.13.2-0ubuntu4","2.13.2-0ubuntu5","2.13.3-0ubuntu1","2.14-0ubuntu1","2.14.1-0ubuntu1","2.14.1-0ubuntu2","2.14.1-0ubuntu3","2.14.1-0ubuntu3.1","2.14.1-0ubuntu3.2","2.14.1-0ubuntu3.3","2.14.1-0ubuntu3.4","2.14.1-0ubuntu3.5","2.14.1-0ubuntu3.6","2.14.1-0ubuntu3.7","2.14.1-0ubuntu3.8","2.14.1-0ubuntu3.9","2.14.1-0ubuntu3.10","2.14.1-0ubuntu3.11","2.14.1-0ubuntu3.12","2.14.1-0ubuntu3.13","2.14.1-0ubuntu3.15","2.14.1-0ubuntu3.16","2.14.1-0ubuntu3.18","2.14.1-0ubuntu3.19","2.14.1-0ubuntu3.20","2.14.1-0ubuntu3.21","2.14.1-0ubuntu3.23","2.14.1-0ubuntu3.24","2.14.1-0ubuntu3.25","2.14.1-0ubuntu3.27","2.14.1-0ubuntu3.28","2.14.1-0ubuntu3.29","2.14.1-0ubuntu3.29+esm1"],"bundled":5}],"products":[{"vendor":"apport_project","product":"apport"},{"vendor":"canonical","product":"apport"},{"vendor":"canonical","product":"ubuntu_linux"}],"references":[{"url":"https://usn.ubuntu.com/usn/usn-4171-1","tags":["x_transferred","Third Party Advisory"]},{"url":"https://usn.ubuntu.com/usn/usn-4171-2","tags":["x_transferred","Third Party Advisory"]},{"url":"http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/172858/Ubuntu-Apport-Whoopsie-DoS-Integer-Overflow.html","tags":["x_transferred"]},{"url":"https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2019-11481"},{"url":"https://github.com/advisories/GHSA-7hrm-rprg-v656"},{"url":"https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2019-11481","tags":["report"]},{"url":"https://ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-4171-1","tags":["advisory"]},{"url":"https://ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-4171-2","tags":["advisory"]},{"url":"https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2019-11481","tags":["report"]},{"url":"https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2019-11482","tags":["report"]},{"url":"https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2019-11483","tags":["report"]},{"url":"https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2019-11485","tags":["report"]},{"url":"https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2019-15790","tags":["report"]}],"sources":{"cve":[{"id":"CVE-2019-11481","title":"Apport reads arbitrary files if ~/.config/apport/settings is a symlink","description":"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.","status":"published","published":"2020-02-08T04:50:21.892Z","modified":"2024-09-16T23:25:27.956Z","cvss":[{"version":"3.1","score":3.8,"vector":"CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:L/I:N/A:N","level":"low","assessor":"cna"}],"updated_at":"2026-11-02T14:32:22.432545Z"}],"euvd":[{"id":"EUVD-2019-3154","description":"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.","status":"published","published":"2020-02-08T04:50:21Z","modified":"2024-09-16T23:25:27Z","cvss":[{"version":"3.1","score":3.8,"vector":"CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:L/I:N/A:N","level":"low"}],"updated_at":"2026-11-03T00:54:50.852699Z"}],"ghsa":[{"id":"GHSA-7hrm-rprg-v656","title":"Kevin Backhouse discovered that apport would read a user-supplied configuration file with...","description":"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.","status":"published","published":"2022-05-24T17:08:17Z","modified":"2023-06-12T09:30:19Z","cvss":[{"version":"3.1","score":7.8,"vector":"CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H","level":"high"}],"cwes":["CWE-59"],"updated_at":"2026-11-02T14:54:38.89081Z"}],"nvd":[{"id":"CVE-2019-11481","description":"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.","status":"published","published":"2020-02-08T05:15:12.527Z","modified":"2026-06-17T02:12:59.34Z","cvss":[{"version":"3.1","score":3.8,"vector":"CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:L/I:N/A:N","level":"low","assessor":"secondary"},{"version":"3.1","score":7.8,"vector":"CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H","level":"high","assessor":"primary"},{"version":"2.0","score":6.1,"vector":"AV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:P/A:P","level":"medium","assessor":"primary"}],"cwes":["CWE-59"],"updated_at":"2026-11-02T14:05:43.875329Z"}],"osv":[{"id":"UBUNTU-CVE-2019-11481","description":"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.","status":"published","published":"2019-08-27T00:00:00Z","modified":"2026-02-04T02:24:44.005543Z","cvss":[{"version":"3.1","score":7.8,"vector":"CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H","level":"high"},{"version":"3.1","score":3.8,"vector":"CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:L/I:N/A:N","level":"low"}],"updated_at":"2026-11-02T15:54:19.202697Z"},{"id":"USN-4171-1","title":"apport vulnerabilities","description":"Kevin Backhouse discovered Apport would read its user-controlled settings\nfile as the root user. This could be used by a local attacker to possibly\ncrash Apport or have other unspecified consequences. (CVE-2019-11481)\n\nSander Bos discovered a race-condition in Apport during core dump\ncreation. This could be used by a local attacker to generate a crash report\nfor a privileged process that is readable by an unprivileged user.\n(CVE-2019-11482)\n\nSander Bos discovered Apport mishandled crash dumps originating from\ncontainers. This could be used by a local attacker to generate a crash\nreport for a privileged process that is readable by an unprivileged user.\n(CVE-2019-11483)\n\nSander Bos discovered Apport mishandled lock-file creation. This could be\nused by a local attacker to cause a denial of service against Apport.\n(CVE-2019-11485)\n\nKevin Backhouse discovered Apport read various process-specific files with\nelevated privileges during crash dump generation. This could could be used\nby a local attacker to generate a crash report for a privileged process\nthat is readable by an unprivileged user. (CVE-2019-15790)\n","status":"published","published":"2019-10-30T05:45:00Z","modified":"2026-02-10T04:41:40Z","updated_at":"2026-11-02T16:58:14.547547Z"},{"id":"USN-4171-2","title":"apport vulnerabilities","description":"USN-4171-1 fixed several vulnerabilities in apport. This update provides\nthe corresponding update for Ubuntu 14.04 ESM.\n\nOriginal advisory details:\n\n Kevin Backhouse discovered Apport would read its user-controlled settings\n file as the root user. This could be used by a local attacker to possibly\n crash Apport or have other unspecified consequences. (CVE-2019-11481)\n\n Sander Bos discovered a race-condition in Apport during core dump\n creation. This could be used by a local attacker to generate a crash report\n for a privileged process that is readable by an unprivileged user.\n (CVE-2019-11482)\n\n Sander Bos discovered Apport mishandled crash dumps originating from\n containers. This could be used by a local attacker to generate a crash\n report for a privileged process that is readable by an unprivileged user.\n (CVE-2019-11483)\n\n Sander Bos discovered Apport mishandled lock-file creation. This could be\n used by a local attacker to cause a denial of service against Apport.\n (CVE-2019-11485)\n\n Kevin Backhouse discovered Apport read various process-specific files with\n elevated privileges during crash dump generation. This could could be used\n by a local attacker to generate a crash report for a privileged process\n that is readable by an unprivileged user. (CVE-2019-15790)\n","status":"published","published":"2019-11-04T12:30:41Z","modified":"2026-02-10T04:41:40Z","updated_at":"2026-11-02T16:58:14.547547Z"}]}}