An issue was discovered in Cinnamon 1.9.2 through 3.8.6. The cinnamon-settings-users.py GUI runs as root and allows configuration of (for example) other users' icon files in _on_face_browse_menuitem_activated and _on_face_menuitem_activated. These icon files are written to the respective user's $HOME/.face location. If an unprivileged user prepares a symlink pointing to an arbitrary location, then this location will be overwritten with the icon content.
This vulnerability carries a HIGH severity rating with a CVSS v3.1 score of 8.1, indicating it can be exploited remotely over the network with relatively low complexity though user interaction is required and does not require pre-existing privileges . The vulnerability impacts integrity (unauthorized modifications), and availability (service disruption) for affected systems. Impacting 2 products from debian, from linuxmint organizations running these solutions should prioritize assessment and patching.
First disclosed in 2018, this vulnerability was reported during a period defined by widespread IoT adoption challenges, mobile security concerns, and the emergence of advanced persistent threat (APT) techniques. Contemporary mitigation strategies focused on secure development practices and third-party component vetting.
2018-07-02T14:29:00.213
2024-11-21T03:46:19.127
Modified
CVSSv3.0: 8.1 (HIGH)
AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:N/I:P/A:P
8.6
4.9
| Type | Vendor | Product | Version/Range | Vulnerable? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operating System | debian | debian_linux | 8.0 | Yes |
| Application | linuxmint | cinnamon | ≤ 3.8.6 | Yes |
SecUtils normalizes and enriches National Vulnerability Database (NVD) records by standardizing vendor and product identifiers, aggregating vulnerability metadata from both NVD and MITRE sources, and providing structured context for security teams. For debian's affected products, we extract Common Platform Enumeration (CPE) data, Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE) classifications, CVSS severity metrics, and reference data to enable rapid vulnerability prioritization and asset correlation. This record contains no exploit code, proof-of-concept instructions, or attack methodologies—only defensive intelligence necessary for patch management, risk assessment, and security operations.