Critical Apport Vulnerability in Ubuntu: Patch Guide & Security Implications

 

Critical Apport vulnerability in Ubuntu 16.04–25.04 allows data leaks. Learn how to patch USN-7545-3, secure crash reports, and prevent exploits. Full update guide + security analysis

Overview: USN-7545-1 Regression & Fix

A critical security regression in Apport, Ubuntu’s crash-reporting tool, has been identified following the USN-7545-1 update. This vulnerability impacts multiple Ubuntu LTS releases, including:

• Ubuntu 25.04 (Latest)

• Ubuntu 24.04 LTS

• Ubuntu 22.04 LTS

• Ubuntu 20.04 LTS

• Ubuntu 18.04 LTS (ESM required)

• Ubuntu 16.04 LTS (ESM required)

Apport (v2.20.1–2.32.0) mishandled metadata during crash analysis, potentially exposing sensitive data. The patch USN-7545-3 resolves an error where killed processes triggered false Apport failures.

Why This Matters for Linux Security

• Data Leak Risk: Attackers could exploit this flaw to access system information.

• Stability Impact: Unpatched systems may experience unnecessary crash report failures.

• Enterprise Threat: Servers & workstations running older LTS versions are vulnerable.

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How to Fix the Apport Vulnerability

Update Instructions for Each Ubuntu Version

Ubuntu Version	Package	Fixed Version
Ubuntu 25.04	apport, python3-apport	2.32.0-0ubuntu5.3
Ubuntu 24.04 LTS	apport, python3-apport	2.28.1-0ubuntu3.8
Ubuntu 22.04 LTS	apport, python3-apport	2.20.11-0ubuntu82.9
Ubuntu 20.04 LTS	apport, python3-apport	2.20.11-0ubuntu27.30
Ubuntu 18.04 LTS (ESM)	apport, python3-apport	2.20.9-0ubuntu7.29+esm3
Ubuntu 16.04 LTS (ESM)	apport, python3-apport	2.20.1-0ubuntu2.30+esm7

🔹 Steps to Apply the Fix:

1. Update your system:

   bash

   sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y

2. Verify the patch:

   bash

   apt list --upgradable | grep apport

3. Restart affected services if necessary.

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Security Analysis: What You Need to Know

Original Vulnerability (Qualys Discovery)

• CVE Reference: Not yet assigned (monitor Ubuntu Security Notices)

• Exploit Potential: Information disclosure via malformed crash metadata.

• Attack Vector: Local privilege escalation in multi-user environments.

Why Immediate Patching is Critical

✅ Prevents Data Exposure – Stops unauthorized access to crash logs.

✅ Ensures System Stability – Fixes false-positive crash report failures.

✅ Maintains Compliance – Required for secure Linux deployments.

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FAQ: Apport Vulnerability & Fixes

❓ Does this affect cloud instances?

A: Yes, Ubuntu cloud images (AWS, Azure, GCP) should apply updates immediately.

❓ Is Ubuntu Pro required for older LTS versions?

A: For 18.04 & 16.04, ESM (Extended Security Maintenance) via Ubuntu Pro is needed.

❓ Can this be exploited remotely?

A: No, this requires local access—but unpatched systems remain at risk.

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Final Recommendations

• Enterprise Users: Deploy updates via Landscape or Ansible.

• Home Users: Enable automatic security updates.

• SysAdmins: Monitor /var/log/apport.log for anomalies.