CVE-2021-3939

Free of static data in accountsservice

HIGH

7.8

CVSS Score

Published: November 17, 2021 at 03:15 AM UTC

Updated: June 17, 2026 at 04:06 AM UTC

3 products affected across 2 vendorsUbuntu LinuxAccountsserviceAccountsservice

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Severity

HIGH7.8

Exploit prediction

EPSS 0.4%

Description

Ubuntu-specific modifications to accountsservice (in patch file debian/patches/0010-set-language.patch) caused the fallback_locale variable, pointing to static storage, to be freed, in the user_change_language_authorized_cb function. This is reachable via the SetLanguage dbus function. This is fixed in versions 0.6.55-0ubuntu12~20.04.5, 0.6.55-0ubuntu13.3, 0.6.55-0ubuntu14.1.

Affected

Our own answer: ranges merged, affected separated from platform-only, with confidence and review flags.

Accountsservice · Canonical

95%

0.6.55-0ubuntu12\~20.04 ≤ v < 0.6.55-0ubuntu12\~20.050.6.55-0ubuntu13 ≤ v < 0.6.55-0ubuntu13.30.6.55-0ubuntu14 ≤ v < 0.6.55-0ubuntu14.1

Affected range stops below 0.6.55-0ubuntu12~20.05, so it looks safe — our inference, not a vendor statement

Affected range stops below 0.6.55-0ubuntu13.3, so it looks safe — our inference, not a vendor statement

Affected range stops below 0.6.55-0ubuntu14.1, so it looks safe — our inference, not a vendor statement

Ubuntu Linux · Canonicalrubygems

95%

20.04 21.04 21.10

Accountsservice · Ubuntu

60%

0.6.55-0ubuntu12~20.04 ≤ v < 0.6.55-0ubuntu12~20.04.50.6.55-0ubuntu13 ≤ v < 0.6.55-0ubuntu13.30.6.55-0ubuntu14 ≤ v < 0.6.55-0ubuntu14.10.6.55-0ubuntu12~20.04 0.6.55-0ubuntu13 0.6.55-0ubuntu14

Affected range stops below 0.6.55-0ubuntu12~20.04.5, so it looks safe — our inference, not a vendor statement

Affected range stops below 0.6.55-0ubuntu13.3, so it looks safe — our inference, not a vendor statement

Affected range stops below 0.6.55-0ubuntu14.1, so it looks safe — our inference, not a vendor statement

Remediation

No guide yet

No remediation guidance has been written for this CVE yet. What the record does show:

Patch and advisory references

https://ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-5149-1

References (3)

Source: [email protected]

http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/172848/Ubuntu-accountsservice-Double-Free-Memory-Corruption.html

Broken Link

Source: [email protected]

https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/accountsservice/+bug/1950149

Vendor Advisory

Source: [email protected]

https://ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-5149-1

CVSS

7.8HIGHcanonical

Attack Vector: LOCAL
Complexity: HIGH
Privileges: LOW
User Interaction: NONE
Scope: CHANGED
Confidentiality: HIGH
Integrity: HIGH
Availability: HIGH

Vector?

Quick Info

StatusMODIFIED

CWE

CWE-590CWE-763

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