Back
CVE-2017-16611
In libXfont before 1.5.4 and libXfont2 before 2.0.3, a local attacker can open (but not read) files on the system as root, triggering tape…
Medium5.5EPSS 0.42%
- Published
- Updated
- Reserved
- Assigned by
- mitre
Description
In libXfont before 1.5.4 and libXfont2 before 2.0.3, a local attacker can open (but not read) files on the system as root, triggering tape rewinds, watchdogs, or similar mechanisms that can be triggered by opening files.
Timeline
ID reserved
By mitre
- 25 days later
· 25 days later
Published
- 7 years later
· 7 years later
Record updated
Changes after publication (a new score, a public exploit, EPSS crossing 1, 10 or 50 %, leaving KEV) are kept since November 2026; earlier ones are not known.
Scores
| Scored by | CVSS | Score | Vector |
|---|---|---|---|
| NVDNVD · Modified | 3.1 | Medium5.5 | CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H |
- EPSS (exploitation in 30 days)
- 0.42% · top 63% of all CVEs (8 Nov 2026)
Loading the EPSS history…
The list uses the assigner's score when there is one, then CISA's, then NVD's: Medium 5.5.
Weakness
Affected products
n/a
- affected n/a
References (8)
- [oss-security] 20171128 CVE-2017-16611 libXfont Open files with O_NOFOLLOW (opens in a new tab)mailing-listx_refsource_MLISTx_transferred
- https://bugzilla.suse.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1050459 (opens in a new tab)x_refsource_CONFIRMx_transferred
- USN-3500-1 (opens in a new tab)vendor-advisoryx_refsource_UBUNTUx_transferred
- [freedesktop-xorg-announce] 20171128 libXfont2 2.0.3 (opens in a new tab)mailing-listx_refsource_MLISTx_transferred
- GLSA-201801-10 (opens in a new tab)vendor-advisoryx_refsource_GENTOOx_transferred
- [freedesktop-xorg-announce] 20171128 libXfont 1.5.4 (opens in a new tab)mailing-listx_refsource_MLISTx_transferred
- http://security.cucumberlinux.com/security/details.php?id=155 (opens in a new tab)x_refsource_MISCx_transferred
- [debian-lts-announce] 20220125 [SECURITY] [DLA 2901-1] libxfont security update (opens in a new tab)mailing-listx_refsource_MLISTx_transferred
Sources
The same CVE in the primary databases and aggregators, to check against.
- CVE.org record (opens in a new tab)
- CVE List JSON (GitHub) (opens in a new tab)
- NVD (opens in a new tab)
- FIRST EPSS (opens in a new tab)
- OSV.dev (opens in a new tab)
- GitHub Advisories (opens in a new tab)
- CIRCL Vulnerability-Lookup (opens in a new tab)
Badge for a README or a ticket
[](https://cveledger.app/cve/CVE-2017-16611)Record last updated .