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Vulnerability record · CVE-2016-9951 · published 17 December 2016

CVE-2016-9951: Apport project apport improper access control vulnerability

Apport Project · Apport

An issue was discovered in Apport before 2.20.4. A malicious Apport crash file can contain a restart command in `RespawnCommand` or `ProcCmdline` fields. This command will be executed if a user clicks the Relaunch button on the Apport prompt from the malicious crash file. The fix is to only show the Relaunch button on Apport crash files generated by local systems. The Relaunch button will be hidden when crash files are opened directly in Apport-GTK.

6.5 CVSS 3.0 Medium EPSS 6.7% · top 6.3% CWE-284 · Improper access control
6.5CVSS 3.0 base score, v2 4.3
6.7%EPSS exploitation probability, 30 days
NoNot in CISA KEV
1Affected product versions listed by NVD
12References, 2 tagged exploit
17 Jun 2026Last modified by NVD

Description

An issue was discovered in Apport before 2.20.4. A malicious Apport crash file can contain a restart command in `RespawnCommand` or `ProcCmdline` fields. This command will be executed if a user clicks the Relaunch button on the Apport prompt from the malicious crash file. The fix is to only show the Relaunch button on Apport crash files generated by local systems. The Relaunch button will be hidden when crash files are opened directly in Apport-GTK.

CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

Affected products

1 vulnerable configurations from NVD's CPE data, grouped by vendor and product.

References

LinkTags
http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/95011 Third Party AdvisoryVDB Entry
http://www.ubuntu.com/usn/USN-3157-1
https://bugs.launchpad.net/apport/+bug/1648806 Issue TrackingPatch
https://donncha.is/2016/12/compromising-ubuntu-desktop/ ExploitTechnical DescriptionThird Party Advisory
https://github.com/DonnchaC/ubuntu-apport-exploitation Issue TrackingThird Party Advisory
https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/40937/
http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/95011 Third Party AdvisoryVDB Entry
http://www.ubuntu.com/usn/USN-3157-1
https://bugs.launchpad.net/apport/+bug/1648806 Issue TrackingPatch
https://donncha.is/2016/12/compromising-ubuntu-desktop/ ExploitTechnical DescriptionThird Party Advisory
https://github.com/DonnchaC/ubuntu-apport-exploitation Issue TrackingThird Party Advisory
https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/40937/

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Related vulnerabilities

Same products first, then exploited flaws of the same weakness class.

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Source: NIST National Vulnerability Database (record CVE-2016-9951), CISA KEV, FIRST EPSS (scores of 2026-09-27). This page is refreshed as NVD updates the record.