// For flags

CVE-2015-0255

xorg-x11-server: information leak in the XkbSetGeometry request of X servers

Severity Score

9.1
*CVSS v3

Exploit Likelihood

*EPSS

Affected Versions

*CPE

Public Exploits

0
*Multiple Sources

Exploited in Wild

-
*KEV

Decision

-
*SSVC
Descriptions

X.Org Server (aka xserver and xorg-server) before 1.16.3 and 1.17.x before 1.17.1 allows remote attackers to obtain sensitive information from process memory or cause a denial of service (crash) via a crafted string length value in a XkbSetGeometry request.

X.Org Server (también conocido como xserver y xorg-server) anterior a 1.16.3 y 1.17.x anterior a 1.17.1 permite a atacantes remotos obtener información sensible de la memoria de procesos o causar una denegación de servicio (caída) a través de un valor de longitud de cadena manipulado en una solicitud XkbSetGeometry.

A buffer overflow flaw was found in the way the X.Org server handled XkbGetGeometry requests. A malicious, authorized client could use this flaw to disclose portions of the X.Org server memory, or cause the X.Org server to crash using a specially crafted XkbGetGeometry request.

Ilja van Sprundel of IOActive discovered several security issues in the X.org X server, which may lead to privilege escalation or denial of service. Olivier Fourdan from Red Hat has discovered a protocol handling issue in the way the X server code base handles the XkbSetGeometry request, where the server trusts the client to send valid string lengths. A malicious client with string lengths exceeding the request length can cause the server to copy adjacent memory data into the XKB structs. This data is then available to the client via the XkbGetGeometry request. This can lead to information disclosure issues, as well as possibly a denial of service if a similar request can cause the server to crash.

*Credits: N/A
CVSS Scores
Attack Vector
Network
Attack Complexity
Low
Privileges Required
None
User Interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
None
Availability
High
Attack Vector
Network
Attack Complexity
Low
Authentication
None
Confidentiality
Partial
Integrity
None
Availability
Partial
Attack Vector
Local
Attack Complexity
Low
Authentication
None
Confidentiality
Partial
Integrity
None
Availability
Partial
* Common Vulnerability Scoring System
SSVC
  • Decision:-
Exploitation
-
Automatable
-
Tech. Impact
-
* Organization's Worst-case Scenario
Timeline
  • 2014-11-18 CVE Reserved
  • 2015-02-12 CVE Published
  • 2024-08-06 CVE Updated
  • 2025-07-13 EPSS Updated
  • ---------- Exploited in Wild
  • ---------- KEV Due Date
  • ---------- First Exploit
CWE
  • CWE-125: Out-of-bounds Read
  • CWE-200: Exposure of Sensitive Information to an Unauthorized Actor
CAPEC
Affected Vendors, Products, and Versions
Vendor Product Version Other Status
Vendor Product Version Other Status <-- --> Vendor Product Version Other Status
X.org
Search vendor "X.org"
Xorg-server
Search vendor "X.org" for product "Xorg-server"
<= 1.16.3
Search vendor "X.org" for product "Xorg-server" and version " <= 1.16.3"
-
Affected
X.org
Search vendor "X.org"
Xorg-server
Search vendor "X.org" for product "Xorg-server"
1.17.0
Search vendor "X.org" for product "Xorg-server" and version "1.17.0"
-
Affected
Opensuse
Search vendor "Opensuse"
Opensuse
Search vendor "Opensuse" for product "Opensuse"
13.1
Search vendor "Opensuse" for product "Opensuse" and version "13.1"
-
Affected
Opensuse
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Opensuse
Search vendor "Opensuse" for product "Opensuse"
13.2
Search vendor "Opensuse" for product "Opensuse" and version "13.2"
-
Affected