CVE-2021-31535

libX11: missing request length checks

Published May 27, 2021 CVSS 3.1 · 9.8 Critical EPSS 10.4% KEV · Not listed
Description
LookupCol.c in X.Org X through X11R7.7 and libX11 before 1.7.1 might allow remote attackers to execute arbitrary code. The libX11 XLookupColor request (intended for server-side color lookup) contains a flaw allowing a client to send color-name requests with a name longer than the maximum size allowed by the protocol (and also longer than the maximum packet size for normal-sized packets). The user-controlled data exceeding the maximum size is then interpreted by the server as additional X protocol requests and executed, e.g., to disable X server authorization completely. For example, if the victim encounters malicious terminal control sequences for color codes, then the attacker may be able to take full control of the running graphical session.

Remediation

No solution or workaround provided in the CVE record

Tracking

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Advisories

Source ID Title
Debian DLA Debian DLA DLA-2666-1 libx11 security update
Debian DSA Debian DSA DSA-4920-1 libx11 security update
EUVD EUVD EUVD-2021-18433 LookupCol.c in X.Org X through X11R7.7 and libX11 before 1.7.1 might allow remote attackers to execute arbitrary code. The libX11 XLookupColor request (intended for server-side color lookup) contains a flaw allowing a client to send color-name requests with a name longer than the maximum size allowed by the protocol (and also longer than the maximum packet size for normal-sized packets). The user-controlled data exceeding the maximum size is then interpreted by the server as additional X protocol requests and executed, e.g., to disable X server authorization completely. For example, if the victim encounters malicious terminal control sequences for color codes, then the attacker may be able to take full control of the running graphical session.
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-4966-1 libx11 vulnerability
Ubuntu USN Ubuntu USN USN-4966-2 libx11 vulnerability
References
Link Providers
http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/162737/libX11-Insufficient-Length-Check-Injection.html cve-icon cve-icon
http://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2021/May/52 cve-icon cve-icon
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2021/05/18/2 cve-icon cve-icon
https://gitlab.freedesktop.org/xorg/lib/libx11/-/commit/8d2e02ae650f00c4a53deb625211a0527126c605 cve-icon cve-icon
https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/r61db8e7dcb56dc000a5387a88f7a473bacec5ee01b9ff3f55308aacc%40%3Cdev.kafka.apache.org%3E cve-icon cve-icon
https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/r61db8e7dcb56dc000a5387a88f7a473bacec5ee01b9ff3f55308aacc%40%3Cusers.kafka.apache.org%3E cve-icon cve-icon
https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/rbf4ce74b0d1fa9810dec50ba3ace0caeea677af7c27a97111c06ccb7%40%3Cdev.kafka.apache.org%3E cve-icon cve-icon
https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/rbf4ce74b0d1fa9810dec50ba3ace0caeea677af7c27a97111c06ccb7%40%3Cusers.kafka.apache.org%3E cve-icon cve-icon
https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2021/05/msg00021.html cve-icon cve-icon
https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/TEOT4RLB76RVPJQKGGTIKTBIOLHX2NR6/ cve-icon cve-icon
https://lists.freedesktop.org/archives/xorg/ cve-icon cve-icon
https://lists.x.org/archives/xorg-announce/2021-May/003088.html cve-icon cve-icon
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-31535 cve-icon
https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/202105-16 cve-icon cve-icon
https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20210813-0001/ cve-icon cve-icon
https://unparalleled.eu/blog/2021/20210518-using-xterm-to-navigate-the-huge-color-space/ cve-icon cve-icon cve-icon
https://unparalleled.eu/publications/2021/advisory-unpar-2021-1.txt cve-icon cve-icon cve-icon
https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-31535 cve-icon
https://www.debian.org/security/2021/dsa-4920 cve-icon cve-icon
https://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2021/05/18/2 cve-icon cve-icon
https://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2021/05/18/3 cve-icon cve-icon
History
Type Values Removed Values Added
Metrics epss

{'score': 0.02608}

epss

{'score': 0.02601}

Weaknesses

Sources

Status
PUBLISHED
Assigner
mitre
Published
Updated
Aug 3, 2024, 11:03 PM
Reserved
Apr 21, 2021, 12:00 AM
Status
Modified
Published
May 27, 2021, 1:15 PM
Modified
Jun 17, 2026, 3:51 AM
Severity
Important
Public date
May 18, 2021, 12:00 AM