---
title: "CVE-2011-2473\n    | Ubuntu"
description: Ubuntu is an open source software operating system that runs from the
  desktop, to the cloud, to all your internet connected things.
url: https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2011-2473?format=md
keywords: index, follow
---

# CVE-2011-2473

Publication date 9 June 2011

Last updated 24 July 2024

---

Ubuntu priority

**Negligible**

[Why this priority?](https://ubuntu.com/security/cves/about#priority )

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## Description

The do\_dump\_data function in utils/opcontrol in OProfile 0.9.6 and earlier
might allow local users to create or overwrite arbitrary files via a
crafted --session-dir argument in conjunction with a symlink attack on the
opd\_pipe file, a different vulnerability than CVE-2011-1760.

[Read the notes from the security team](https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2011-2473?format=md#notes)

## Status

Show unmaintained releases

| Package | Ubuntu Release | Status |
| --- | --- | --- |
| oprofile | 11.04 natty | Ignored |
| 10.10 maverick | Ignored |
| 10.04 LTS lucid | Ignored |
| 8.04 LTS hardy | Ignored end of life |

---

* [How can I get the fixes?](https://ubuntu.com/security/cves/about#security)
* [What do statuses mean?](https://ubuntu.com/security/cves/about#statuses)

## Notes

---

### [jdstrand](https://launchpad.net/~jdstrand)

this attack requires that the user is using a --session-dir that
is under the attacker's control. --session-dir defaults to /var/lib/oprofile
so this is not a problem in the default configuration. Proper use of --init
will setup the session dir with correct permissions, and this is needed to
use a different session dir anyway. The vulnerability comes in if the
session dir's permissions change after using --init or are created in another
user's directory that is under the attacker's control. While it would be good
to try to defend against this, the checks would be racy and the vulnerability
is somewhat contrived to begin with. Upstream has not patched this as of
2011-07-07.

## References

* [MITRE](https://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2011-2473)
* [NVD](https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2011-2473)
* [Launchpad](https://launchpad.net/bugs/cve/CVE-2011-2473)
* [Debian](https://security-tracker.debian.org/tracker/CVE-2011-2473)

### Other references

* <https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2011-2473>