Description
KDM in KDE 3.1.3 and earlier does not verify whether the pam_setcred function call succeeds, which may allow attackers to gain root privileges by triggering error conditions within PAM modules, as demonstrated in certain configurations of the MIT pam_krb5 module.
Fixed in Linux distributions
Distributions backport fixes, so the version that fixes this vulnerability differs per release — upgrade to at least the version shown. From the distributions' security trackers and advisories.
Debian
Security tracker ↗Advisories 2
- DSA-443 xfree86 - several vulnerabilities Debian Security (DSA / DLA) · Mar 9, 2026
- DSA-388 kdebase - several vulnerabilities Debian Security (DSA / DLA) · Mar 9, 2026
References
- CLA-2003:747 vendor-advisory
- oval:org.mitre.oval:def:193 vdb-entry signature
- 20030916 [KDE SECURITY ADVISORY] KDM vulnerabilities mailing-list
- DSA-443 vendor-advisory
- RHSA-2003:289 vendor-advisory
- http://cert.uni-stuttgart.de/archive/suse/security/2002/12/msg00101.html
- RHSA-2003:287 vendor-advisory
- RHSA-2003:270 vendor-advisory
- RHSA-2003:286 vendor-advisory
- DSA-388 vendor-advisory
- MDKSA-2003:091 vendor-advisory
- http://www.kde.org/info/security/advisory-20030916-1.txt
- RHSA-2003:288 vendor-advisory