CVE-2017-16611
In libXfont before 1.5.4 and libXfont2 before 2.0.3, a local attacker can open (but not read) files on the system as root, triggering tape rewinds, watchdogs, or similar mechanisms that can be triggered by opening files.
Does this matter?
Lower severity and a low EPSS score (0.42%). Track it; it rarely justifies an emergency change on its own.
Description
In libXfont before 1.5.4 and libXfont2 before 2.0.3, a local attacker can open (but not read) files on the system as root, triggering tape rewinds, watchdogs, or similar mechanisms that can be triggered by opening files.
- CVSS 3.1
- 5.5 MEDIUMCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
- EPSS
- 0.42% probability · 36th percentile
- Public exploits
- None in Exploit-DB
- CISA KEV
- Not listed
- Weakness
- CWE-59
- Affected
- debian/debian linux · canonical/ubuntu linux · x/libxfont
- Source
- cve@mitre.org
EPSS 0.4% since 27 October 2026; no change recorded yet. Points are recorded when the score first appears and whenever it moves by a percentage point or more.
References
- http://security.cucumberlinux.com/security/details.php?id=155Third Party Advisory
- http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2017/11/28/7Mailing List, Patch, Third Party Advisory
- http://www.ubuntu.com/usn/USN-3500-1Third Party Advisory
- https://bugzilla.suse.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1050459Issue Tracking, Tool Signature, VDB Entry
- https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2022/01/msg00028.htmlIssue Tracking, Mailing List, Third Party Advisory
- https://marc.info/?l=freedesktop-xorg-announce&m=151188044218304&w=2Patch, Third Party Advisory
- https://marc.info/?l=freedesktop-xorg-announce&m=151188049718337&w=2Patch, Third Party Advisory
- https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/201801-10Third Party Advisory
- http://security.cucumberlinux.com/security/details.php?id=155Third Party Advisory
- http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2017/11/28/7Mailing List, Patch, Third Party Advisory
- http://www.ubuntu.com/usn/USN-3500-1Third Party Advisory
- https://bugzilla.suse.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1050459Issue Tracking, Tool Signature, VDB Entry
- https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2022/01/msg00028.htmlIssue Tracking, Mailing List, Third Party Advisory
- https://marc.info/?l=freedesktop-xorg-announce&m=151188044218304&w=2Patch, Third Party Advisory
- https://marc.info/?l=freedesktop-xorg-announce&m=151188049718337&w=2Patch, Third Party Advisory
- https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/201801-10Third Party Advisory
Source: NVD record, EPSS from FIRST.org, KEV from CISA, exploits from Exploit-DB. Refreshed daily. Download this record as JSON.