CVE-2016-9950
There is a path traversal issue in the Apport crash file "Package" and "SourcePackage" fields.
Does this matter?
A public exploit is published in Exploit-DB and the impact is high, while EPSS rates exploitation at 6.5%. Anyone can run this; patch or mitigate before the next change window and check exposed instances for signs of use.
Description
An issue was discovered in Apport before 2.20.4. There is a path traversal issue in the Apport crash file "Package" and "SourcePackage" fields. These fields are used to build a path to the package specific hook files in the /usr/share/apport/package-hooks/ directory. An attacker can exploit this path traversal to execute arbitrary Python files from the local system.
- CVSS 3.0
- 7.8 HIGHCVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
- EPSS
- 6.55% probability · 94th percentile
- Public exploits
- 1 in Exploit-DB · first 14 December 2016
- CISA KEV
- Not listed
- Weakness
- CWE-22
- Affected
- apport project/apport · canonical/ubuntu linux
- Source
- cve@mitre.org
EPSS moved from 10.2% on 21 September 2026 to 6.5% on 27 October 2026. The dashed line is the ten per cent mark our analysts treat as “patch before the next change window”.
Public exploits (1)
Entries in Exploit-DB that cite this CVE. Links go to the Exploit-DB page and to the file in the public repository; nothing is hosted here. A verified tick means the Exploit-DB team confirmed the exploit works against the stated version.
References
- http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/95011Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
- http://www.ubuntu.com/usn/USN-3157-1
- https://bugs.launchpad.net/apport/+bug/1648806Issue Tracking, Patch
- https://donncha.is/2016/12/compromising-ubuntu-desktop/Exploit, Technical Description, Third Party Advisory
- https://github.com/DonnchaC/ubuntu-apport-exploitationIssue Tracking, Third Party Advisory
- https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/40937/
- http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/95011Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
- http://www.ubuntu.com/usn/USN-3157-1
- https://bugs.launchpad.net/apport/+bug/1648806Issue Tracking, Patch
- https://donncha.is/2016/12/compromising-ubuntu-desktop/Exploit, Technical Description, Third Party Advisory
- https://github.com/DonnchaC/ubuntu-apport-exploitationIssue Tracking, Third Party Advisory
- https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/40937/
Source: NVD record, EPSS from FIRST.org, KEV from CISA, exploits from Exploit-DB. Refreshed daily. Download this record as JSON.