CVE-2025-5467 identifies a vulnerability in the Apport crash reporting tool developed by Canonical, specifically within the process_crash() function located in the data/apport component. Apport is responsible for capturing and reporting application crashes on Ubuntu systems to facilitate debugging and system stability improvements. The vulnerability arises from incorrect assignment of group ownership to the crash files generated during a crash event. Instead of restricting access to intended groups, the crash files may be assigned to broader or unintended groups, potentially exposing sensitive diagnostic information contained within these files. This exposure could allow unauthorized local users who belong to these groups to access crash data that might include sensitive system or application state details. The affected versions span multiple releases of Apport, including 2.20.1 through 2.33.0 and specific Ubuntu package versions such as 2.20.11-0ubuntu82 and 2.20.11-0ubuntu27. The CVSS v4.0 score is 1.9, reflecting a low-severity issue primarily impacting confidentiality with limited attack vector (local access required) and low complexity. No authentication or user interaction is needed beyond local privileges. There are no known exploits in the wild, and no patches have been linked yet, though Canonical is the assigner and likely to release fixes. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-708, which relates to incorrect ownership assignment, a common misconfiguration leading to unintended data exposure. This issue does not affect system integrity or availability, nor does it allow remote exploitation or privilege escalation. It is a local information disclosure vulnerability that requires an attacker to have some level of access to the system already.

For European organizations, the primary impact of CVE-2025-5467 is the potential unauthorized disclosure of sensitive crash report data on affected Ubuntu systems. Crash reports can contain detailed information about system state, application errors, and potentially sensitive environment variables or user data, which could aid an attacker in further reconnaissance or targeted attacks. Although the vulnerability does not allow remote exploitation or privilege escalation, it poses a risk in environments where multiple users share systems or where local user accounts are not tightly controlled. Organizations in sectors such as finance, healthcare, and critical infrastructure that rely on Ubuntu servers or workstations with Apport enabled may face increased risk of data leakage. However, the low CVSS score and requirement for local access limit the overall impact. The vulnerability could also complicate compliance with data protection regulations like GDPR if sensitive personal data is inadvertently exposed through crash files. Therefore, while the direct impact is limited, the indirect consequences related to data privacy and internal security posture could be significant if not addressed.

Organizations should audit and verify the ownership and permission settings of crash report files generated by Apport on all affected Ubuntu systems. Specifically, administrators should ensure that the group ownership of these files is restricted to trusted groups only, such as the system administrators or Apport-specific groups, preventing broader access. Applying the principle of least privilege to local user accounts and groups can reduce exposure. Monitoring and logging access to crash report directories can help detect unauthorized access attempts. Although no official patches are currently linked, organizations should track Canonical security advisories closely and apply updates promptly once available. Disabling Apport on production systems where crash reporting is not essential can be considered as a temporary mitigation. Additionally, organizations should implement strict local user account management policies to minimize the number of users with local access. Regular security audits and file integrity monitoring can help detect misconfigurations or unauthorized changes to file ownership and permissions. Finally, educating system administrators about the risks of improper file ownership and the importance of secure crash report handling will help prevent recurrence.