CVE-2014-0979: The start_authentication function in lightdm-gtk-greeter.c in LightDM GTK+ Greeter before 1.7.1 does not prope

Q: How do I fix CVE-2014-0979?

opensuse: mitigate or apply the listed mitigation; lightdm gtk\+ greeter: upgrade to newer than 1.7.0. Exact commands for each OS are on this page.

Q: Is CVE-2014-0979 being exploited?

CVE-2014-0979 is not on the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities list at the time of the last update. Check again, as this can change.

Q: What does CVE-2014-0979 affect?

CVE-2014-0979 affects opensuse, lightdm gtk\+ greeter. Severity is low (CVSS 2.1). The start_authentication function in lightdm-gtk-greeter.c in LightDM GTK+ Greeter before 1.7.1 does not properly handle the return value from the lightdm_greeter_get_authentication_user function, which allows local users to cause a denial

Q: How urgent is CVE-2014-0979?

Priority 16/100. No elevated risk signals yet.

Routine

LOW 2.1MITIGATEUPGRADE

CVE-2014-0979 is a low-severity flaw (CVSS 2.1) affecting opensuse, lightdm gtk\+ greeter. Below: why it ranks where it does, which versions are affected, what to do, and the exact commands.

The start_authentication function in lightdm-gtk-greeter.c in LightDM GTK+ Greeter before 1.7.1 does not properly handle the return value from the lightdm_greeter_get_authentication_user function, which allows local users to cause a denial of service (NULL pointer dereference) via an empty username.

Why this priority

No elevated risk signals yet

A fixed release or distro patch exists.

Risk facts

CVSS score	2.1 (Low)
EPSS exploit chance	0.4% (top 65%)
CISA exploited list	No
Published	2014-01-23
Last modified	2026-06-17

Publisher (CNA): MITRE · Vendor: lightdm gtk\+ greeter project · opensuse

Last updated 2026-06-17 · Sources: CVE Program, NVD, CISA KEV, EPSS and vendor advisories · How we score

Am I affected?

Timeline

2014-01-23 01:55 UTCPublished CVE record published
2026-06-17 00:03 UTCUpdated Record last modified

opensuse opensuse MITIGATE

Affected: 12.2 · 12.3 · 13.1

Fixed in: no fixed release known

Safe to downgrade to: a release before 12.2

Check your OS release

cat /etc/os-release; uname -r

Debian / Ubuntu

sudo apt update && sudo apt full-upgrade

RHEL / Amazon Linux / Fedora

sudo dnf upgrade --refresh

Windows

Install the latest cumulative update from Windows Update

If no patch exists yet

OS downgrades are not safe. Apply the vendor mitigation from the advisory and restrict exposure.

lightdm gtk\+ greeter project lightdm gtk\+ greeter UPGRADE

Affected: <= 1.7.0 · 1.1.1 · 1.1.2 · 1.1.3 · 1.1.4 · 1.1.5 · 1.1.6 · 1.3.0

Fixed in: newer than 1.7.0

Safe to downgrade to: no unaffected older release

1. Check installed version

apt-cache policy lightdm-gtk+-greeter || rpm -q lightdm-gtk+-greeter || lightdm-gtk+-greeter --version

2. UPGRADE to newer than 1.7.0 (Debian / Ubuntu)

sudo apt update && sudo apt install --only-upgrade lightdm-gtk+-greeter

2. UPGRADE (RHEL / Amazon Linux / Fedora)

sudo dnf upgrade lightdm-gtk+-greeter

Note

Distros often backport fixes without changing the version number. Confirm with the distro advisory or changelog.

Verify at the official source NVD · CVE Program · Report a problem with this page
Scores and fixes here are computed automatically from those and other public sources. Confirm with the vendor advisory before changing production systems.

Quick answers

How do I fix CVE-2014-0979?

opensuse: mitigate or apply the listed mitigation; lightdm gtk\+ greeter: upgrade to newer than 1.7.0. Exact commands for each OS are on this page.

Is CVE-2014-0979 being exploited?

CVE-2014-0979 is not on the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities list at the time of the last update. Check again, as this can change.

What does CVE-2014-0979 affect?

CVE-2014-0979 affects opensuse, lightdm gtk\+ greeter. Severity is low (CVSS 2.1). The start_authentication function in lightdm-gtk-greeter.c in LightDM GTK+ Greeter before 1.7.1 does not properly handle the return value from the lightdm_greeter_get_authentication_user function, which allows local users to cause a denial

How urgent is CVE-2014-0979?

Priority 16/100. No elevated risk signals yet.

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References

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