Description
lisp/gnus/gnus-fun.el in GNU Emacs 24.3 and earlier allows local users to overwrite arbitrary files via a symlink attack on the /tmp/gnus.face.ppm 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.
Ubuntu
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ubuntu 26.10 | xemacs21-packages | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 26.04 LTS | xemacs21-packages | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 25.10 | xemacs21-packages | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 24.04 LTS | xemacs21-packages | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 22.04 LTS | xemacs21-packages | No fix yet | — |
Show 3 more (older releases, extended support, other products)Fewer releases
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ubuntu 20.04 LTS | xemacs21-packages | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 18.04 LTS | xemacs21-packages | No fix yet | — |
| Ubuntu 16.04 LTS | xemacs21-packages | No fix yet | — |
openSUSE
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| openSUSE Tumbleweed | emacs | 25.1-1.1 | openSUSE-SU-2024:10469-1 |
Advisories 1
- openSUSE-SU-2024:10469-1 emacs-25.1-1.1 on GA media SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
References
- [oss-security] 20140507 Re: CVE Request - Predictable temporary filenames in GNU Emacs mailing-list
- [emacs-diffs] 20140506 emacs-24 r117066: * gnus-fun.el (gnus-grab-cam-face): Do not use predictable temp-file name. mailing-list
- MDVSA-2015:117 vendor-advisory
- http://advisories.mageia.org/MGASA-2014-0250.html
- http://debbugs.gnu.org/cgi/bugreport.cgi?bug=17428#8