CVE-2013-4394

The SetX11Keyboard function in systemd, when PolicyKit Local Authority (PKLA) is used to change the group permissions on the X Keyboard Extension (XKB) layouts description, allows local users in the group to modify the Xorg X11 Server configuration file and possibly gain privileges via vectors involving "special and control characters."

Published: 2013-10-28 Last update: 2026-06-16 Assigner: [email protected] Source: [email protected]
NVD Status：Modified，CVE State: published
View at NVD, CVE.org, EUVD

CVE-2013-4394 is rated Low Risk (32.7/100): CVSS Medium severity, with low exploitation likelihood (EPSS 0.34%). Monitor for updates and reassess as exploit intelligence or EPSS changes.

Risk is dynamic; we continuously reassess and refresh what is shown on this page as upstream context changes.

Exploit prediction scoring system (EPSS) score for CVE-2013-4394

EPSS lead: Daily EPSS estimates relative likelihood of exploitation; percentile ranks this CVE among scored vulnerabilities (higher = more severe relative rank).

# Date Old EPSS score New EPSS score Delta (New - Old)
1 2026-06-15 0.11% 0.34% +0.23%
2 2025-03-17 0.04% 0.11% +0.07%
3 2023-03-07 — 0.04% —

Full EPSS history (4 records total)

Common vulnerability scoring system (CVSS) metrics for CVE-2013-4394

CVSS metrics for this CVE.

Base score Version Severity Vector Exploitability Impact Score source
5.9 2.0 MEDIUM
AV:L/AC:H/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:P Click to expand
Access vector (AV:L)
Requires local access to the target system.
Access complexity (AC:H)
Exploitation requires uncommon or highly specific conditions.
Authentication (AU:N)
No authentication is required.
Confidentiality impact (C:C)
Complete confidentiality impact.
Integrity impact (I:C)
Complete integrity impact.
Availability impact (A:P)
Partial availability impact.
 1.9 9.5 [email protected]

Weakness enumeration for CVE-2013-4394

OS Trackers for CVE-2013-4394

vendor priority summary link
debian not yet assigned CVE-2013-4394 not yet assigned priority: Debian including 1 source packages (systemd), 5 status rows across 5 suites (bookworm, bullseye, forky, sid, trixie): resolved 5. https://security-tracker.debian.org/tracker/CVE-2013-4394
gentoo normal CVE-2013-4394: 1 GLSA(s) (201612-34), 1 atom(s) (sys-apps/systemd); latest impact normal. https://bugs.gentoo.org/buglist.cgi?quicksearch=CVE-2013-4394
redhat medium — https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2013-4394
ubuntu medium CVE-2013-4394 medium priority: Ubuntu including 1 source packages (systemd), 5 status rows across 5 suites (lucid, precise, quantal, raring, upstream): DNE 3, needs-triage 1, not-affected 1. https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2013-4394

Affected software / configurations for CVE-2013-4394

Vendor Product Version Raw CPE
systemd_project systemd < 194 cpe:2.3:a:systemd_project:systemd:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
debian debian_linux 7.0 cpe:2.3:o:debian:debian_linux:7.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

References for CVE-2013-4394

URL Tags
http://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=725357 Issue Tracking Third Party Advisory
http://www.debian.org/security/2013/dsa-2777 Third Party Advisory
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2013/10/01/9 Mailing List Third Party Advisory
https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=862324 Issue Tracking Patch Third Party Advisory
https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/201612-34 Third Party Advisory
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