USN-4355-1: PulseAudio vulnerability

Publication date

12 May 2020

Overview

PulseAudio could allow unintended access to snap packages.


Packages

Details

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.

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.

Update instructions

After a standard system update you need to restart your session to make all the necessary changes.

Learn more about how to get the fixes.

The problem can be corrected by updating your system to the following package versions:

Ubuntu Release Package Version
20.04 focal pulseaudio –  1:13.99.1-1ubuntu3.2
19.10 eoan pulseaudio –  1:13.0-1ubuntu1.2
18.04 bionic pulseaudio –  1:11.1-1ubuntu7.7
16.04 xenial pulseaudio –  1:8.0-0ubuntu3.12

Reduce your security exposure

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