1. Ubuntu Security Notices
  2. USN-2568-1

USN-2568-1: libx11, libxrender vulnerability

Publication date

13 April 2015

Overview

libx11 could be made to crash or run programs if it processed specially crafted data.

Releases

Packages

  • libx11 - X11 client-side library
  • libxrender - X11 Rendering Extension client library

Details

Abhishek Arya discovered that libX11 incorrectly handled memory in the
MakeBigReq macro. A remote attacker could use this issue to cause
applications to crash, resulting in a denial of service, or possibly
execute arbitrary code.

In addition, following the macro fix in libx11, a number of other packages
have also been rebuilt as security updates including libxrender, libxext,
libxi, libxfixes, libxrandr, libsdl1.2, libxv, libxp, and
xserver-xorg-video-vmware.

Abhishek Arya discovered that libX11 incorrectly handled memory in the
MakeBigReq macro. A remote attacker could use this issue to cause
applications to crash, resulting in a denial of service, or possibly
execute arbitrary code.

In addition, following the macro fix in libx11, a number of other packages
have also been rebuilt as security updates including libxrender, libxext,
libxi, libxfixes, libxrandr, libsdl1.2, libxv, libxp, and
xserver-xorg-video-vmware.

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
14.10 utopic libxrender1 –  1:0.9.8-1build0.14.10.1
14.04 trusty libxrender1 –  1:0.9.8-1build0.14.04.1
12.04 precise libx11-dev –  2:1.4.99.1-0ubuntu2.3
libxrender1 –  1:0.9.6-2ubuntu0.2

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References

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