CVE-2013-2179

CVE-2013-2179 is a medium-severity vulnerability in X X Display Manager with a CVSS 2.0 base score of 4.3. It is not currently listed as actively exploited by CISA, and its EPSS exploit-prediction score is low. The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-310.

Key facts

Description

X.Org xdm 1.1.10, 1.1.11, and possibly other versions, when performing authentication using certain implementations of the crypt API function that can return NULL, allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (NULL pointer dereference and crash) by attempting to log into an account whose password field contains invalid characters, as demonstrated using the crypt function from glibc 2.17 and later with (1) the "!" character in the salt portion of a password field or (2) a password that has been encrypted using DES or MD5 in FIPS-140 mode.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2013-2179?
X.Org xdm 1.1.10, 1.1.11, and possibly other versions, when performing authentication using certain implementations of the crypt API function that can return NULL, allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (NULL pointer dereference and crash) by attempting to log into an account whose password field contains invalid characters, as demonstrated using the crypt function from glibc 2.17 and later with (1) the "!" character in the salt portion of a password field or (2) a password that has been encrypted using DES or MD5 in FIPS-140 mode.
How severe is CVE-2013-2179?
CVE-2013-2179 has a CVSS 2.0 base score of 4.3, rated medium severity.
Is CVE-2013-2179 being actively exploited?
It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 2% (82nd percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2013-2179?
CVE-2013-2179 primarily affects X X Display Manager. In total, 2 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2013-2179?
Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.
When was CVE-2013-2179 published?
CVE-2013-2179 was published on 2013-12-27 and last updated on 2026-06-16.

References

Affected products (2)

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