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xscreensaver — security advisory

Type: advisorySources: OSVAdvisory ID: DEBIAN-CVE-2021-34557

XScreenSaver 5.45 can be bypassed if the machine has more than ten disconnectable video outputs. A buffer overflow in update_screen_layout() allows an attacker to bypass the standard screen lock authentication mechanism by crashing XScreenSaver. The attacker must physically disconnect many video outputs.

Products
xscreensaver
Affected versions
Not specified
Fixed versions
5.45+dfsg1-2
CVEs
CVE-2021-34557
Confirmed fixed CVEs
Not specified
Updated in this feed
1 Nov 2026, 00:23 UTC · Revision 1

Source evidence

DEBIAN-CVE-2021-34557

core-osv · Original source

Published 10 Jun 2021, 16:15 UTC

XScreenSaver 5.45 can be bypassed if the machine has more than ten disconnectable video outputs. A buffer overflow in update_screen_layout() allows an attacker to bypass the standard screen lock authentication mechanism by crashing XScreenSaver. The attacker must physically disconnect many video outputs.

osv:DEBIAN-CVE-2021-34557

xscreensaver

Fixed versions: 5.45+dfsg1-2

xscreensaver

Fixed versions: 5.45+dfsg1-2

xscreensaver

Fixed versions: 5.45+dfsg1-2

Complete source record
{
  "id": "5d1e1183373b7f0b6149501e39dc5b4eceee00e3eb7dbf78d792d5aa6569646c",
  "url": "https://osv.dev/vulnerability/DEBIAN-CVE-2021-34557",
  "method": "structured",
  "payload": {
    "kind": "advisory",
    "title": "DEBIAN-CVE-2021-34557",
    "summary": "XScreenSaver 5.45 can be bypassed if the machine has more than ten disconnectable video outputs. A buffer overflow in update_screen_layout() allows an attacker to bypass the standard screen lock authentication mechanism by crashing XScreenSaver. The attacker must physically disconnect many video outputs.",
    "evidence": "osv:DEBIAN-CVE-2021-34557",
    "products": [
      {
        "name": {
          "value": "xscreensaver",
          "evidence": "/affected/0/package/name"
        },
        "prerequisites": [],
        "fixed_versions": [
          {
            "value": "5.45+dfsg1-2",
            "evidence": "/affected/0/ranges"
          }
        ],
        "affected_versions": []
      },
      {
        "name": {
          "value": "xscreensaver",
          "evidence": "/affected/1/package/name"
        },
        "prerequisites": [],
        "fixed_versions": [
          {
            "value": "5.45+dfsg1-2",
            "evidence": "/affected/1/ranges"
          }
        ],
        "affected_versions": []
      },
      {
        "name": {
          "value": "xscreensaver",
          "evidence": "/affected/2/package/name"
        },
        "prerequisites": [],
        "fixed_versions": [
          {
            "value": "5.45+dfsg1-2",
            "evidence": "/affected/2/ranges"
          }
        ],
        "affected_versions": []
      }
    ],
    "severity": "medium",
    "structured": {
      "id": "DEBIAN-CVE-2021-34557",
      "aliases": [
        "DEBIAN-CVE-2021-34557"
      ],
      "metrics": [
        {
          "type": "CVSS_V3",
          "score": "CVSS:3.1/AV:P/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H"
        }
      ],
      "affected": [
        {
          "ranges": [
            {
              "type": "ECOSYSTEM",
              "events": [
                {
                  "introduced": "0"
                },
                {
                  "fixed": "5.45+dfsg1-2"
                }
              ]
            }
          ],
          "package": {
            "name": "xscreensaver",
            "purl": "pkg:deb/debian/xscreensaver?arch=source&distro=bookworm",
            "ecosystem": "Debian:12"
          },
          "database_specific": {
            "source": "https://storage.googleapis.com/debian-osv/debian-cve-osv/DEBIAN-CVE-2021-34557.json"
          },
          "ecosystem_specific": {
            "urgency": "not yet assigned"
          }
        },
        {
          "ranges": [
            {
              "type": "ECOSYSTEM",
              "events": [
                {
                  "introduced": "0"
                },
                {
                  "fixed": "5.45+dfsg1-2"
                }
              ]
            }
          ],
          "package": {
            "name": "xscreensaver",
            "purl": "pkg:deb/debian/xscreensaver?arch=source&distro=trixie",
            "ecosystem": "Debian:13"
          },
          "database_specific": {
            "source": "https://storage.googleapis.com/debian-osv/debian-cve-osv/DEBIAN-CVE-2021-34557.json"
          },
          "ecosystem_specific": {
            "urgency": "not yet assigned"
          }
        },
        {
          "ranges": [
            {
              "type": "ECOSYSTEM",
              "events": [
                {
                  "introduced": "0"
                },
                {
                  "fixed": "5.45+dfsg1-2"
                }
              ]
            }
          ],
          "package": {
            "name": "xscreensaver",
            "purl": "pkg:deb/debian/xscreensaver?arch=source&distro=forky",
            "ecosystem": "Debian:14"
          },
          "database_specific": {
            "source": "https://storage.googleapis.com/debian-osv/debian-cve-osv/DEBIAN-CVE-2021-34557.json"
          },
          "ecosystem_specific": {
            "urgency": "not yet assigned"
          }
        }
      ],
      "modified": "2026-10-23T18:03:15.109878794Z",
      "provider": "osv",
      "upstream": [
        "CVE-2021-34557"
      ],
      "references": [
        "https://security-tracker.debian.org/tracker/CVE-2021-34557"
      ]
    },
    "related_cves": [
      {
        "value": "CVE-2021-34557",
        "evidence": "/upstream"
      }
    ],
    "security_relevant": true,
    "severity_evidence": "/severity/0/score"
  },
  "source_id": "core-osv",
  "document_id": 420961,
  "published_at": "2021-06-10T16:15:08.227+00:00"
}