CVE-2017-14482: High severity gnu emacs vulnerability
Enriched mode implements an extension command to the text/enriched format called "x-display", which stores "display" text properties. It's possible to use this extension command to transparently execute arbitrary code in an Emacs process that opens a text/enriched file.
Upstream issue:
https://debbugs.gnu.org/cgi/bugreport.cgi?bug=28350
Upstream patch:
https://git.savannah.gnu.org/cgit/emacs.git/commit/?h=emacs-25&id=9ad0fcc54442a9a01d41be19880250783426db70
References:
http://seclists.org/oss-sec/2017/q3/422
Other sources
GNU Emacs before 25.3 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via email with crafted "Content-Type: text/enriched" data containing an x-display XML element that specifies execution of shell commands, related to an unsafe text/enriched extension in lisp/textmodes/enriched.el, and unsafe Gnus support for enriched and richtext inline MIME objects in lisp/gnus/mm-view.el. In particular, an Emacs user can be instantly compromised by reading a crafted email message (or Usenet news article).
Affected Software
Remediation
Patch Available
Patch Available
Event History
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the severity of CVE-2017-14482?
CVE-2017-14482 is considered a critical vulnerability as it allows arbitrary code execution through the x-display extension in text/enriched files.
How do I fix CVE-2017-14482?
To fix CVE-2017-14482, users should update their GNU Emacs installation to version 25.3 or later.
Which versions of Emacs are affected by CVE-2017-14482?
CVE-2017-14482 affects GNU Emacs versions up to and including 25.2.
What type of vulnerability is CVE-2017-14482?
CVE-2017-14482 is an arbitrary code execution vulnerability related to the processing of text/enriched files.
Who is impacted by CVE-2017-14482?
Users of affected versions of GNU Emacs who open text/enriched files are at risk due to CVE-2017-14482.