Description
checkpw 1.02 and earlier allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (infinite loop) via a -- (dash dash) in a username.
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 13 | checkpw | 1.02-1.1 | — |
| Debian 12 | checkpw | 1.02-1.1 | — |
| Debian 7 | checkpw | 1.02-1+deb7u1 | DSA-3192-1 |
| Debian 6.0 | checkpw | 1.02-1+deb6u1 | DLA-191-1 |
Ubuntu
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ubuntu 14.04 LTS | checkpw | 1.02-1+deb6u1build0.14.04.1 | — |
Advisories 2
- DLA-191-1 checkpw - security update Debian Security (DSA / DLA) · Mar 9, 2026
- DSA-3192-1 checkpw - security update Debian Security (DSA / DLA) · Mar 9, 2026
References
- JVN#34790526 third-party-advisory
- http://jvn.jp/en/jp/JVN34790526/995575/index.html
- DSA-3192 vendor-advisory
- http://checkpw.sourceforge.net/checkpw/changes.txt
- JVNDB-2015-000032 third-party-advisory