1. Ubuntu Security Notices
  2. USN-1099-1

USN-1099-1: GDM vulnerability

Publication date

30 March 2011

Overview

A GDM vulnerability allows local attackers to gain root privileges.

Releases

Packages

  • gdm - GNOME Display Manager

Details

Sebastian Krahmer discovered that GDM (GNOME Display Manager) did not
properly drop privileges when handling the cache directories used
to store users’ dmrc and face icon files. This could allow a local
attacker to change the ownership of arbitrary files, thereby gaining
root privileges.

Sebastian Krahmer discovered that GDM (GNOME Display Manager) did not
properly drop privileges when handling the cache directories used
to store users’ dmrc and face icon files. This could allow a local
attacker to change the ownership of arbitrary files, thereby gaining
root privileges.

Update instructions

After a standard system update you need to log out all desktop sessions and restart GDM 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
9.10 karmic gdm –  2.28.1-0ubuntu2.3
10.10 maverick gdm –  2.30.5-0ubuntu4.1
10.04 lucid gdm –  2.30.2.is.2.30.0-0ubuntu5.1

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References

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