CVE-2017-8900: Medium severity Lightdm Project Lightdm vulnerability

Published May 12, 2017
·
Updated

Last updated 25 August 2025

Other sources

LightDM through 1.22.0, when systemd is used in Ubuntu 16.10 and 17.x, allows physically proximate attackers to bypass intended AppArmor restrictions and visit the home directories of arbitrary users by establishing a guest session.

Launchpad

Affected Software

7 affected componentsFixes available
Lightdm Project Lightdm<=1.22.0
Canonical Ubuntu Linux=16.10
Canonical Ubuntu Linux=17.04
All of the following
Lightdm Project Lightdm<=1.22.0
Any of the following
Canonical Ubuntu Linux=16.10
Canonical Ubuntu Linux=17.04
debian/lightdm
1.26.0-71.26.0-81.32.0-61.32.0-7

Event History

May 12, 2017
CVE Published
via MITRE·06:54 AM
Data Sourced
via MITRE·06:54 AM
Description
Data Sourced
via NVD·07:29 AM
RemedyDescriptionSeverityAffected Software
Jan 11, 2024
Data Sourced
via Launchpad·10:10 PM
Description
Feb 20, 2026
Data Sourced
via Ubuntu·01:08 AM
RemedyDescriptionSeverityAffected Software
Data Sourced
via Debian·01:08 AM
DescriptionAffected Software

Frequently Asked Questions

1

What is the severity of CVE-2017-8900?

CVE-2017-8900 is considered a medium severity vulnerability that allows unauthorized access to user home directories by bypassing AppArmor restrictions.

2

How do I fix CVE-2017-8900?

To remediate CVE-2017-8900, upgrade LightDM to version 1.26.0 or later.

3

What systems are affected by CVE-2017-8900?

CVE-2017-8900 affects LightDM versions up to 1.22.0 on Ubuntu 16.10 and Ubuntu 17.x when using systemd.

4

Who can exploit CVE-2017-8900?

CVE-2017-8900 can be exploited by physically proximate attackers who can establish a guest session.

5

What is the impact of CVE-2017-8900 on users?

The impact of CVE-2017-8900 allows attackers to access and view the home directories of other users, leading to potential data exposure.

Contact

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