Local desktop takeover via broad X11 authorization
Published Sep 9, 2026 · Updated Sep 9, 2026
Incorrect X11 access control in Pardus LightDM Greeter before 0.4.15 allows local users to access the active desktop display. At greeter startup, src/main.py runs xhost +local:, authorizing every local process to connect without the desktop user's Xauthority cookie. A low-privilege account on the same host can capture the desktop and inject GUI input, exposing and modifying the logged-in user's session.
Summary
What happened
Incorrect X11 access control in Pardus LightDM Greeter before 0.4.15 allows local users to access the active desktop display. At greeter startup, src/main.py runs xhost +local:, authorizing every local process to connect without the desktop user's Xauthority cookie. A low-privilege account on the same host can capture the desktop and inject GUI input, exposing and modifying the logged-in user's session.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-79617
- Published
- Sep 9, 2026
- Updated
- Sep 9, 2026
- Vendor
- TÜBİTAK BİLGEM Software Technologies Research Institute
- Product
- Pardus LightDM Greeter
- Classifications
- CWE-732, CAPEC-180, T1113
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Sep 9, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Sep 9, 2026Record 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.
- Affected versionversion=0 <0.4.15
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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.
Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
- Consolidated X11 access exploit.pyproof of concept · unverified
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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