USN-4355-1: PulseAudio vulnerability

Published May 12, 2020
·
Updated

PulseAudio in Ubuntu contains additional functionality to mediate audio recording for snap packages and it was discovered that this functionality did not mediate PulseAudio module unloading. An attacker-controlled snap with only the audio-playback interface connected could exploit this to bypass access controls and record audio.

Affected Software

8 affected componentsFixes available
All of the following
ubuntu/pulseaudio<1:13.99.1-1ubuntu3.2
1:13.99.1-1ubuntu3.2
Ubuntu Ubuntu=20.04
All of the following
ubuntu/pulseaudio<1:13.0-1ubuntu1.2
1:13.0-1ubuntu1.2
Ubuntu Ubuntu=19.10
All of the following
ubuntu/pulseaudio<1:11.1-1ubuntu7.7
1:11.1-1ubuntu7.7
Ubuntu Ubuntu=18.04
All of the following
ubuntu/pulseaudio<1:8.0-0ubuntu3.12
1:8.0-0ubuntu3.12
Ubuntu Ubuntu=16.04

Event History

May 12, 2020
Advisory Published
via Ubuntu·12:00 AM

Child vulnerabilities

Contains the following vulnerabilities.

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Frequently Asked Questions

1

What is the severity of USN-4355-1?

The severity of USN-4355-1 is considered high due to the potential for unauthorized audio recording by an attacker-controlled snap package.

2

How do I fix USN-4355-1?

To fix USN-4355-1, upgrade PulseAudio to version 1:13.99.1-1ubuntu3.2 or later for Ubuntu 20.04, 1:13.0-1ubuntu1.2 or later for Ubuntu 19.10, 1:11.1-1ubuntu7.7 or later for Ubuntu 18.04, or 1:8.0-0ubuntu3.12 or later for Ubuntu 16.04.

3

What versions of PulseAudio are affected by USN-4355-1?

Affected versions include PulseAudio 1:13.99.1-1ubuntu3.2 or earlier for Ubuntu 20.04, 1:13.0-1ubuntu1.2 or earlier for Ubuntu 19.10, 1:11.1-1ubuntu7.7 or earlier for Ubuntu 18.04, and 1:8.0-0ubuntu3.12 or earlier for Ubuntu 16.04.

4

What type of vulnerability is USN-4355-1?

USN-4355-1 is a security vulnerability related to improper audio recording mediation in PulseAudio for snap packages.

5

Who is impacted by USN-4355-1?

Users of affected versions of PulseAudio within Ubuntu 20.04, 19.10, 18.04, and 16.04 are impacted by USN-4355-1.

Contact

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