In KDE Frameworks KConfig before 5.61.0, malicious desktop files and configuration files…
Priority MEDIUM 41CWE-78Published · Updated
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Local
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- Required
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- Code execution
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- High · High · High
- Fix status
- Partial Red Hat: 14 fixed, 2 without a fix
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · NVD. Fix status from CNA and Red Hat. Impact type from CWE-78.
Summary
In KDE Frameworks KConfig before 5.61.0, malicious desktop files and configuration files lead to code execution with minimal user interaction. This relates to libKF5ConfigCore.so, and the mishandling of .desktop and .directory files, as demonstrated by a shell command on an Icon line in a .desktop file.
Why it matters now
EPSS 0.04069 90th percentileScored 2026-11-07
Public exploit Yes 1 exploit referenceTagged by NVD
Fix Partial Red Hat: 2 advisoriesRed Hat: 14 fixed, 2 without a fix
SSVC decision points
Not available: CISA has not published SSVC decision points for this record.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | — | all versions | — | No fix listed | CNA |
- — Vendor— Affected all versions Fixed in — No fix listed CNA
CPE configurations NVD · 12
| CPE | Versions | Role | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpe:2.3:a:kde:kconfig:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | before 5.61.0 | Vulnerable | KDE |
| cpe:2.3:o:debian:debian_linux:9.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 9.0 | Vulnerable | Debian |
| cpe:2.3:o:debian:debian_linux:10.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 10.0 | Vulnerable | Debian |
| cpe:2.3:o:fedoraproject:fedora:29:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 29 | Vulnerable | Fedoraproject |
| cpe:2.3:o:fedoraproject:fedora:30:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 30 | Vulnerable | Fedoraproject |
| cpe:2.3:a:opensuse:backports_sle:15.0:sp1:*:*:*:*:*:* | 15.0 sp1 | Vulnerable | openSUSE |
| cpe:2.3:o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:16.04:*:*:*:esm:*:*:* | 16.04 | Vulnerable | Canonical |
| cpe:2.3:o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:18.04:*:*:*:lts:*:*:* | 18.04 | Vulnerable | Canonical |
| cpe:2.3:o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:19.04:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 19.04 | Vulnerable | Canonical |
| cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux_desktop:7.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 7.0 | Vulnerable | Red Hat |
- cpe:2.3:a:kde:kconfig:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions before 5.61.0 Vulnerable ·KDE
- cpe:2.3:o:debian:debian_linux:9.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 9.0 Vulnerable ·Debian
- cpe:2.3:o:debian:debian_linux:10.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 10.0 Vulnerable ·Debian
- cpe:2.3:o:fedoraproject:fedora:29:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 29 Vulnerable ·Fedoraproject
- cpe:2.3:o:fedoraproject:fedora:30:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 30 Vulnerable ·Fedoraproject
- cpe:2.3:a:opensuse:backports_sle:15.0:sp1:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 15.0 sp1 Vulnerable ·openSUSE
- cpe:2.3:o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:16.04:*:*:*:esm:*:*:* Versions 16.04 Vulnerable ·Canonical
- cpe:2.3:o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:18.04:*:*:*:lts:*:*:* Versions 18.04 Vulnerable ·Canonical
- cpe:2.3:o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:19.04:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 19.04 Vulnerable ·Canonical
- cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux_desktop:7.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 7.0 Vulnerable ·Red Hat
Remediation
Red Hat 2 advisories
- RHSA-2020:2833 Released 2020-07-07 · Red Hat rating Importantkdelibs security update
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux ComputeNode EUS (v. 7.6) kdelibs-6:4.14.8-8.el7_6, kdelibs-common-6:4.14.8-8.el7_6, kdelibs-ktexteditor-6:4.14.8-8.el7_6
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux ComputeNode Optional EUS (v. 7.6) kdelibs-apidocs-6:4.14.8-8.el7_6, kdelibs-devel-6:4.14.8-8.el7_6
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server EUS (v. 7.6) kdelibs-6:4.14.8-8.el7_6, kdelibs-common-6:4.14.8-8.el7_6, kdelibs-devel-6:4.14.8-8.el7_6 +1
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server Optional EUS (v. 7.6) kdelibs-6:4.14.8-8.el7_6, kdelibs-6:4.14.8-8.el7_6.ppc, kdelibs-apidocs-6:4.14.8-8.el7_6 +5
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux for ARM and IBM Power LE (POWER9) Server (v. 7) kdelibs-6:4.14.8-8.el7_6, kdelibs-common-6:4.14.8-8.el7_6, kdelibs-devel-6:4.14.8-8.el7_6 +1
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux for ARM and IBM Power LE (POWER9) Server Optional (v. 7) kdelibs-6:4.14.8-8.el7_6, kdelibs-apidocs-6:4.14.8-8.el7_6, kdelibs-common-6:4.14.8-8.el7_6 +2
- RHSA-2019:2606 Released 2019-09-04 · Red Hat rating Importantkdelibs and kde-settings security and bug fix update
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux Client (v. 7) kde-settings-19-23.10.el7_7, kde-settings-ksplash-19-23.10.el7_7, kde-settings-plasma-19-23.10.el7_7 +5
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux Client Optional (v. 7) kde-settings-minimal-19-23.10.el7_7, kdelibs-apidocs-6:4.14.8-11.el7_7, kdelibs-devel-6:4.14.8-11.el7_7
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux ComputeNode (v. 7) kde-settings-19-23.10.el7_7, kdelibs-6:4.14.8-11.el7_7, kdelibs-common-6:4.14.8-11.el7_7 +2
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux ComputeNode Optional (v. 7) kde-settings-ksplash-19-23.10.el7_7, kde-settings-minimal-19-23.10.el7_7, kde-settings-plasma-19-23.10.el7_7 +3
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server (v. 7) kde-settings-19-23.10.el7_7, kde-settings-ksplash-19-23.10.el7_7, kde-settings-plasma-19-23.10.el7_7 +6
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server Optional (v. 7) kde-settings-19-23.10.el7_7, kde-settings-ksplash-19-23.10.el7_7, kde-settings-minimal-19-23.10.el7_7 +10
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation (v. 7) kde-settings-19-23.10.el7_7, kde-settings-ksplash-19-23.10.el7_7, kde-settings-plasma-19-23.10.el7_7 +6
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation Optional (v. 7) kde-settings-minimal-19-23.10.el7_7, kdelibs-apidocs-6:4.14.8-11.el7_7
Vendor assessments
Red Hat
Red Hat rating: Important. Red Hat's page for this CVE →
| Product | Status | Plan or fix |
|---|---|---|
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5 | Affected | No fix planned: Out of support scope |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 | Affected | No fix planned: Out of support scope |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux Client (v. 7) | Fixed | RHSA-2019:2606 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux Client Optional (v. 7) | Fixed | RHSA-2019:2606 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux ComputeNode (v. 7) | Fixed | RHSA-2019:2606 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux ComputeNode EUS (v. 7.6) | Fixed | RHSA-2020:2833 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux ComputeNode Optional (v. 7) | Fixed | RHSA-2019:2606 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux ComputeNode Optional EUS (v. 7.6) | Fixed | RHSA-2020:2833 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server (v. 7) | Fixed | RHSA-2019:2606 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server EUS (v. 7.6) | Fixed | RHSA-2020:2833 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server Optional (v. 7) | Fixed | RHSA-2019:2606 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server Optional EUS (v. 7.6) | Fixed | RHSA-2020:2833 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation (v. 7) | Fixed | RHSA-2019:2606 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation Optional (v. 7) | Fixed | RHSA-2019:2606 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux for ARM and IBM Power LE (POWER9) Server (v. 7) | Fixed | RHSA-2020:2833 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux for ARM and IBM Power LE (POWER9) Server Optional (v. 7) | Fixed | RHSA-2020:2833 |
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2019-14744
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-7r6x-j8mj-9g3p
References
Patch 3
Advisory 14
- https://www.zdnet.com/article/unpatched-kde-vulnerability-disclosed-on-twitter/
- 20190808 [slackware-security] kdelibs (SSA:2019-220-01)
- DSA-4494
- 20190812 [SECURITY] [DSA 4494-1] kconfig security update
- FEDORA-2019-48b691092f
- FEDORA-2019-a746ac9c89
- openSUSE-SU-2019:1898
- GLSA-201908-07
- [debian-lts-announce] 20190818 [SECURITY] [DLA 1890-1] kde4libs security update
- FEDORA-2019-f9f78895c3
- FEDORA-2019-9f2ee52c88
- USN-4100-1
- FEDORA-2019-39d23c7a94
- RHSA-2019:2606
Sources
- CVE-2019-14744 · CVE Program
- CVE-2019-14744 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-7r6x-j8mj-9g3p · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2019-14744 · Red Hat security data · CC BY 4.0
This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences