How severe is CVE-2019-11481?

CVE-2019-11481 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 3.8, rated low severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is low, integrity none, and availability none.

Is CVE-2019-11481 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (35th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2019-11481?

CVE-2019-11481 primarily affects Apport Project Apport. In total, 6 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.

How do I fix CVE-2019-11481?

Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.

When was CVE-2019-11481 published?

CVE-2019-11481 was published on 2020-02-08 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2019-11481

CVE-2019-11481 is a low-severity vulnerability in Apport Project Apport with a CVSS 3.x base score of 3.8. 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-59.

Key facts

Severity: Low (CVSS 3.x base score 3.8)
CVSS v2: 6.1
EPSS exploit prediction: 0% (35th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-59
Affected product: Apport Project Apport
Published: 2020-02-08
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

Kevin Backhouse discovered that apport would read a user-supplied configuration file with elevated privileges. By replacing the file with a symbolic link, a user could get apport to read any file on the system as root, with unknown consequences.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2019-11481?: Kevin Backhouse discovered that apport would read a user-supplied configuration file with elevated privileges. By replacing the file with a symbolic link, a user could get apport to read any file on the system as root, with unknown consequences.
How severe is CVE-2019-11481?: CVE-2019-11481 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 3.8, rated low severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is low, integrity none, and availability none.
Is CVE-2019-11481 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (35th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2019-11481?: CVE-2019-11481 primarily affects Apport Project Apport. In total, 6 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2019-11481?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.
When was CVE-2019-11481 published?: CVE-2019-11481 was published on 2020-02-08 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (6)

cpe:2.3:o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:14.04:*:*:*:esm:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:16.04:*:*:*:lts:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:18.04:*:*:*:lts:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:19.04:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:19.10:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:apport_project:apport:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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