1. Ubuntu Security Notices
  2. USN-1191-1

USN-1191-1: libXfont vulnerability

Publication date

15 August 2011

Overview

libXfont could be made to run programs as an administrator if it opened a specially crafted file.

Releases

Packages

  • libxfont - X11 font rasterisation library

Details

Tomas Hoger discovered that libXfont incorrectly handled certain malformed
compressed fonts. An attacker could use a specially crafted font file to
cause libXfont to crash, or possibly execute arbitrary code in order to
gain privileges.

Tomas Hoger discovered that libXfont incorrectly handled certain malformed
compressed fonts. An attacker could use a specially crafted font file to
cause libXfont to crash, or possibly execute arbitrary code in order to
gain privileges.

Update instructions

After a standard system update you need to reboot your computer to make all the necessary changes.

Learn more about how to get the fixes.

The problem can be corrected by updating your system to the following package versions:

Ubuntu Release Package Version
11.04 natty libxfont1 –  1:1.4.3-2ubuntu0.1
10.10 maverick libxfont1 –  1:1.4.2-1ubuntu0.1
10.04 lucid libxfont1 –  1:1.4.1-1ubuntu0.1

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References

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