Description
LuaTeX before 1.17.0 allows execution of arbitrary shell commands when compiling a TeX file obtained from an untrusted source. This occurs because luatex-core.lua lets the original io.popen be accessed. This also affects TeX Live before 2023 r66984 and MiKTeX before 23.5.
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 | texlive-bin | 2022.20220321.62855-5.1 | — |
| Debian 13 | texlive-bin | 2022.20220321.62855-5.1 | — |
| Debian 12 | texlive-bin | 2022.20220321.62855-5.1 | — |
| Debian 11 | texlive-bin | 2020.20200327.54578-7+deb11u1 | DSA-5406-1 |
| Debian 10 | texlive-bin | 2018.20181218.49446-1+deb10u1 | DLA-3427-1 |
Ubuntu
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ubuntu 22.04 LTS | texlive-bin | 2021.20210626.59705-1ubuntu0.1 | USN-6115-1 |
| Ubuntu 20.04 LTS | texlive-bin | 2019.20190605.51237-3ubuntu0.1 | USN-6115-1 |
| Ubuntu 18.04 LTS | texlive-bin | 2017.20170613.44572-8ubuntu0.2 | USN-6115-1 |
Red Hat
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| RHEL 8.2 AUS | texlive +62 | 7:20180414-15.el8_2 | RHSA-2023:3661 |
| RHEL 8.1 E4S | texlive +313 | 7:20180414-15.el8_1 | RHSA-2023:3661 |
AlmaLinux
Errata ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| AlmaLinux 9 | texlive +370 | 9:20200406-26.el9_2 | ALSA-2023:3661 |
Rocky Linux
Errata ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rocky Linux 9 | texlive | 9:20200406-26.el9_2 | RLSA-2023:3661 |
SUSE
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| SLES 15 SP5 | texlive | 2021.20210325-150400.31.3.1 | SUSE-SU-2023:2284-1 |
| SLES 15 SP4 | texlive | 2021.20210325-150400.31.3.1 | SUSE-SU-2023:2284-1 |
| SLES 15 SP3 | texlive | 2017.20170520-150200.21.4.1 | SUSE-SU-2023:2285-1 |
| SLES 15 SP2 | texlive | 2017.20170520-150200.21.4.1 | SUSE-SU-2023:2285-1 |
| SLES 15 SP1 | cups-filters | 1.20.3-150000.3.10.1 | SUSE-SU-2023:2287-1 |
| SLES 15 SP1 | poppler | 0.62.0-150000.4.12.1 | SUSE-SU-2023:2287-1 |
| SLES 15 SP1 | texlive | 2017.20170520-150000.11.20.1 | SUSE-SU-2023:2287-1 |
Show 9 more (older releases, extended support, other products)Fewer releases
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| SLES for SAP 15 SP3 | texlive | 2017.20170520-150200.21.4.1 | SUSE-SU-2023:2285-1 |
| SLES for SAP 15 SP2 | texlive | 2017.20170520-150200.21.4.1 | SUSE-SU-2023:2285-1 |
| SLES for SAP 15 SP1 | cups-filters | 1.20.3-150000.3.10.1 | SUSE-SU-2023:2287-1 |
| SLES for SAP 15 SP1 | poppler | 0.62.0-150000.4.12.1 | SUSE-SU-2023:2287-1 |
| SLES for SAP 15 SP1 | texlive | 2017.20170520-150000.11.20.1 | SUSE-SU-2023:2287-1 |
| SLE Real Time 15 SP3 | texlive | 2017.20170520-150200.21.4.1 | SUSE-SU-2023:2285-1 |
| SLE HPC 15 SP3 | texlive | 2017.20170520-150200.21.4.1 | SUSE-SU-2023:2285-1 |
| SLE HPC 15 SP2 | texlive | 2017.20170520-150200.21.4.1 | SUSE-SU-2023:2285-1 |
| SLE HPC 15 SP1 | cups-filters | 1.20.3-150000.3.10.1 | SUSE-SU-2023:2287-1 |
| SLE HPC 15 SP1 | poppler | 0.62.0-150000.4.12.1 | SUSE-SU-2023:2287-1 |
| SLE HPC 15 SP1 | texlive | 2017.20170520-150000.11.20.1 | SUSE-SU-2023:2287-1 |
| SUSE Enterprise Storage 7.1 | texlive | 2017.20170520-150200.21.4.1 | SUSE-SU-2023:2285-1 |
| SUSE Enterprise Storage 7 | texlive | 2017.20170520-150200.21.4.1 | SUSE-SU-2023:2285-1 |
openSUSE
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| openSUSE Tumbleweed | texlive | 2023.20230311.svn34398-90.1 | openSUSE-SU-2024:12936-1 |
| openSUSE Leap 15.5 | texlive | 2021.20210325-150400.31.3.1 | SUSE-SU-2023:2284-2 |
| openSUSE Leap 15.4 | poppler | 0.62.0-150000.4.12.1 | SUSE-SU-2023:2287-1 |
| openSUSE Leap 15.4 | texlive | 2017.20170520-150200.21.4.1 | SUSE-SU-2023:2285-1, SUSE-SU-2023:2284-1 |
Alpine
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alpine v3.24 | texlive | 20230506.66984-r0 | — |
| Alpine v3.23 | texlive | 20230506.66984-r0 | — |
| Alpine v3.22 | texlive | 20230506.66984-r0 | — |
| Alpine v3.21 | texlive | 20230506.66984-r0 | — |
| Alpine v3.20 | texlive | 20230506.66984-r0 | — |
Show 2 more (older releases, extended support, other products)Fewer releases
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alpine v3.19 | texlive | 20230506.66984-r0 | — |
| Alpine v3.18 | texlive | 20230506.66984-r0 | — |
Oracle Linux
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oracle Linux 8 | texlive +370 | 9:20200406-26.el9_2 | ELSA-2023-3661 |
| Oracle Linux 8 | texlive-tetex +5 | 7:20180414-29.el8_8 | ELSA-2023-3661 |
Advisories 13
- ALSA-2023:3661 Important: texlive security update AlmaLinux Security Advisories · Oct 29, 2026
- RHSA-2023:3661 Red Hat Security Advisory: texlive security update Red Hat Security Advisories (RHSA) · Jun 26, 2026
- USN-6115-1 texlive-bin vulnerability Ubuntu Security Notices (USN) · Apr 22, 2026
- DSA-5406-1 texlive-bin - security update Debian Security (DSA / DLA) · Mar 9, 2026
- DLA-3427-1 texlive-bin - security update Debian Security (DSA / DLA) · Mar 9, 2026
- openSUSE-SU-2024:12936-1 libkpathsea6-6.3.5-90.1 on GA media SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2023:2285-1 Security update for texlive SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2023:2284-2 Security update for texlive SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2023:2287-1 Security update for cups-filters, poppler, texlive SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- RLSA-2023:3661 Important: texlive security update Rocky Linux Security Advisories · Oct 9, 2025
- SUSE-SU-2023:2284-1 Security update for texlive SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · May 2, 2025
- WID-SEC-2023-1513 Red Hat Enterprise Linux (texlive): Schwachstelle ermöglicht Codeausführung BSI CERT-Bund (WID) · Jul 20, 2023
- ELSA-2023-3661 Important: texlive security update (Oracle Linux 8) Oracle Linux Security Advisories (ELSA) · Jun 21, 2023
References
- https://tug.org/pipermail/tex-live/2023-May/049188.html
- https://gitlab.lisn.upsaclay.fr/texlive/luatex/-/tags/1.17.0
- https://github.com/TeX-Live/texlive-source/releases/tag/build-svn66984
- https://tug.org/~mseven/luatex.html
- FEDORA-2023-38094d905c vendor-advisory
- FEDORA-2023-d261122726 vendor-advisory