Fergie's Tech Blog

DHS Audit Flags 'Critical' X11 Unix/Linux Bug

Ryan Naraine writes on eWeek:

An open-source security audit program funded by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security has flagged a critical vulnerability in the X Window System which is used in Unix and Linux systems.

Coverity, the San Franciso-based company managing the project under a $1.25 million grant, described the flaw as the "biggest security vulnerability" found in the X Window System code since 2000.

[The vulnerability] could be exploited to allow local users to execute code with root privileges, giving them the ability to overwrite system files or initiate denial-of-service attacks.

posted by Fergie @ 5/02/2006 02:09:00 PM