Description
The pa_make_secure_dir function in core-util.c in PulseAudio 0.9.10 and 0.9.19 allows local users to change the ownership and permissions of arbitrary files via a symlink attack on a /tmp/.esd-##### temporary file.
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 ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Debian 14 | pulseaudio | 0.9.21-1.1 | — |
| Debian 13 | pulseaudio | 0.9.21-1.1 | — |
| Debian 12 | pulseaudio | 0.9.21-1.1 | — |
| Debian 5.0 | pulseaudio | 0.9.10-3+lenny2 | DSA-2017-1 |
Advisories 1
- DSA-2017-1 pulseaudio - insecure temporary directory Debian Security (DSA / DLA) · Mar 9, 2026
References
- https://bugs.edge.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/pulseaudio/+bug/509008
- http://git.0pointer.de/?p=pulseaudio.git%3Ba=patch%3Bh=d3efa43d85ac132c6a5a416a2b6f2115f5d577ee
- MDVSA-2010:124 vendor-advisory
- ADV-2010-1570 vdb-entry
- http://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=573615
- DSA-2017 vendor-advisory