Description
libdbus 1.5.x and earlier, when used in setuid or other privileged programs in X.org and possibly other products, allows local users to gain privileges and execute arbitrary code via the DBUS_SYSTEM_BUS_ADDRESS environment variable. NOTE: libdbus maintainers state that this is a vulnerability in the applications that do not cleanse environment variables, not in libdbus itself: "we do not support use of libdbus in setuid binaries that do not sanitize their environment before their first call into libdbus."
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 | dbus | 1.6.8-1 | — |
| Debian 14 | glib2.0 | 2.33.12+really2.32.4-2 | — |
| Debian 13 | dbus | 1.6.8-1 | — |
| Debian 13 | glib2.0 | 2.33.12+really2.32.4-2 | — |
| Debian 12 | dbus | 1.6.8-1 | — |
| Debian 12 | glib2.0 | 2.33.12+really2.32.4-2 | — |
Red Hat
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| RHEL 6 | dbus +4 | 1:1.2.24-7.el6_3 | RHSA-2012:1261 |
openSUSE
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| openSUSE Tumbleweed | dbus-1 | 1.10.12-2.1 | openSUSE-SU-2024:10517-1 |
Public exploits
Exploit or proof-of-concept code for this vulnerability is publicly available, which lowers the bar for attackers. Treat it as a reason to patch sooner.
Exploit-DB 1
- libdbus - 'DBUS_SYSTEM_BUS_ADDRESS' Local Privilege Escalation EDB-21323 · local · Jul 17, 2012
Sources: PoC-in-GitHub, Metasploit Framework, Exploit-DB — updated daily. Only links are listed; no exploit code is hosted here.
Advisories 2
- RHSA-2012:1261 Red Hat Security Advisory: dbus security update Red Hat Security Advisories (RHSA) · Jun 26, 2026
- openSUSE-SU-2024:10517-1 dbus-1-1.10.12-2.1 on GA media SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
References
- SUSE-SU-2012:1155 vendor-advisory
- [oss-security] 20120912 libdbus CVE-2012-3524 fix mailing-list
- [oss-security] 20120726 Re: libdbus hardening mailing-list
- openSUSE-SU-2012:1287 vendor-advisory
- openSUSE-SU-2012:1418 vendor-advisory
- 50544 third-party-advisory
- https://bugs.freedesktop.org/show_bug.cgi?id=52202
- https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=847402
- USN-1576-1 vendor-advisory
- 50537 third-party-advisory
- [oss-security] 20120917 Re: libdbus CVE-2012-3524 fix mailing-list
- 21323 exploit
- 55517 vdb-entry
- RHSA-2012:1261 vendor-advisory
- [oss-security] 20120710 libdbus hardening mailing-list
- [oss-security] 20120914 Re: libdbus CVE-2012-3524 fix mailing-list
- MDVSA-2013:083 vendor-advisory
- MDVSA-2013:070 vendor-advisory
- 50710 third-party-advisory
- SUSE-SU-2012:1155-2 vendor-advisory
- https://bugzilla.novell.com/show_bug.cgi?id=697105
- USN-1576-2 vendor-advisory
- http://stealth.openwall.net/null/dzug.c