Security Issues in Xpdf Make Waves
In the past, security bugs in the Xpdf PDF viewer have endangered Linux systems time and again, and projects that use Xpdf code are also affected.
Security researchers at Secunia have discovered three vulnerabilities in Xpdf 3.02. All three are located in the stream.cc file. The first bug which affects the "DCTStream::readProgressiveDataUnit()" function can lead to memory corruption on indexing an array. The other two bugs, one of which is in the "DCTStream::reset()" function and the other in "CCITTFaxStream::lookChar()", can lead to heap-based buffer overflows. In all three cases, a carefully crafted PDF file is required. If the attacker can trick a victim into opening the file, the attacker may be able to execute arbitrary code.
Secunia discovered the vulnerabilities in Xpdf 3.02 (with xpdf-3.02pl1.patch), however, other versions may also be affected. As many projects, such as Kpdf, Koffice, Cups and Poppler rely on source code by Xpdf, these projects are also affected, as Secunia has proved.
The developers of Xpdf have now released a patch to remove the vulnerabilities. Users who prefer not to build the application from scratch are advised to avoid PDFs from untrusted sources until their distributor releases a new package.
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Support Our Work
Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.
News
-
The Bullet-Proof KDE Software Initiative Is Coming
KDE, Techpaladin, and Kubuntu Focus have announced a new initiative that will provide at least three years of support for KDE Plasma 6.6 LTS and related software.
-
Linux Mint Shares a Possible Kernel Cleanup Solution
For those on Linux Mint who like to keep multiple kernels around but don't want them to take up too much space, you might be getting a new automated tool.
-
CachyOS Gets an Update
CachyOS August 2026 release is now available with the latest version of KDE, some new features, and plenty of improvements.
-
The Linux Kernel Dev Staging Area Now Rejects AI-Generated Patches
Unless a kernel patch is a valid security fix, it will be rejected if it was created using AI.
-
Linux Surpasses Double-Digit Market Share
According to two sources, the Linux operating system has hit a major milestone in market share that naysayers thought would never happen.
-
AI Helped Develop a Linux Exploit
A use-after-free race exploit was discovered and exploited on CentOS Stream 9.
-
Yet Another Linux Kernel Vulnerability Discovered
Affecting millions of systems, a kernel flaw discovered by Qualys could allow users to gain root privileges.
-
Ubuntu 26.10 to Include Ubuntu Certified Hardware Check
If you've ever wondered if your laptop or PC is officially certified to run Ubuntu, that curiosity will soon be met.
-
Substantial Update to IPFire Now Available
The lastest version of IPFire features a fundamental change to how the system handles DNS.
-
Gnome Working on Test Center App to Make Testing Easier
It's now possible to test experimental features on the Gnome desktop without worrying that you'll break things.