CVE-2025-6966

Process crash via malformed deb822 key dereference

Published Dec 5, 2025 · Updated Dec 15, 2025

NULL-pointer dereference in Canonical python-apt allows local users to crash a process via a malformed non-UTF-8 deb822 key. TagSection.keys() in python/tag.cc dereferences a null pointer while handling the malformed key instead of rejecting it. An attacker must cause a local python-apt consumer to open the crafted deb822 file; the documented impact is limited to that process terminating.

CVSS severity6.9
Medium
EPSS probability0.14%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

NULL-pointer dereference in Canonical python-apt allows local users to crash a process via a malformed non-UTF-8 deb822 key. TagSection.keys() in python/tag.cc dereferences a null pointer while handling the malformed key instead of rejecting it. An attacker must cause a local python-apt consumer to open the crafted deb822 file; the documented impact is limited to that process terminating.

The record

CVE
CVE-2025-6966
Published
Dec 5, 2025
Updated
Dec 15, 2025
Vendor
Canonical
Product
python-apt
Classifications
CWE-476, T1499.004
Attack vector
local
Privileges
Unavailable

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Dec 5, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Dec 15, 2025Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=0 <0.9.3.5ubuntu3+esm5
  2. Affected versionversion=1.1 <1.1.0~beta1ubuntu0.16.04.12+esm1
  3. Affected versionversion=1.6 <1.6.6ubuntu0.1~esm1
  4. Affected versionversion=2.0 <2.0.1ubuntu0.20.04.1+esm1
  5. Affected versionversion=2.4 <2.4.0ubuntu4.1
  6. Affected versionversion=2.7 <2.7.7ubuntu5.1
  7. Affected versionversion=3.0 <3.0.0ubuntu0.25.04.1
  8. Affected versionversion=3.0 <3.0.0ubuntu1.1

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesUnavailable in this record.

What is affected?

Canonical · python-aptversion=0 <0.9.3.5ubuntu3+esm5; version=1.1 <1.1.0~beta1ubuntu0.16.04.12+esm1; version=1.6 <1.6.6ubuntu0.1~esm1; version=2.0 <2.0.1ubuntu0.20.04.1+esm1; version=2.4 <2.4.0ubuntu4.1; version=2.7 <2.7.7ubuntu5.1; version=3.0 <3.0.0ubuntu0.25.04.1; version=3.0 <3.0.0ubuntu1.1

Published CVSS scores

5.5NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
6.9Canonical Ltd.CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:N/VI:N/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

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No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
PrivilegesUnavailable
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-476NULL Pointer Dereference
T1499.004Application or System Exploitation

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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