A flaw was found in libXpm. When processing files with .Z or .gz extensions, the library calls external programs to compress and uncompress files, relying on the PATH environment variable to find these programs, which could allow a malicious user to execute other programs by manipulating the PATH environment variable.
The product searches for critical resources using an externally-supplied search path that can point to resources that are not under the product’s direct control.
| Name | Vendor | Start Version | End Version |
|---|---|---|---|
| Libxpm | X.org | * | 3.5.15 (excluding) |
This might allow attackers to execute their own programs, access unauthorized data files, or modify configuration in unexpected ways. If the product uses a search path to locate critical resources such as programs, then an attacker could modify that search path to point to a malicious program, which the targeted product would then execute. The problem extends to any type of critical resource that the product trusts. Some of the most common variants of untrusted search path are: