CVE-2025-6966
MEDIUMCVSS 5.5/10EPSS 0.14%
Last modified
CVE-2025-6966 is a medium-severity vulnerability rated 5.5/10 on the CVSS scale. NULL pointer dereference in TagSection.keys() in python-apt on APT-based Linux systems allows a local attacker to cause a denial of service (process crash) via a crafted deb822 file with a malformed non-UTF-8 key.. EPSS estimates a 0.14% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days.
Description
NULL pointer dereference in TagSection.keys() in python-apt on APT-based Linux systems allows a local attacker to cause a denial of service (process crash) via a crafted deb822 file with a malformed non-UTF-8 key.
Metrics
Weakness Enumeration
Affected Software
| Vendor | Product | Versions | Update |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ubuntu | Python-Apt | < 0.9.3.11 | — |
| Ubuntu | Python-Apt | >= 1.6.0, < 1.6.6 | — |
| Ubuntu | Python-Apt | >= 2.0.0, < 2.0.1 | — |
| Ubuntu | Python-Apt | >= 2.7.0, < 2.7.7 | — |
| Ubuntu | Python-Apt | 0.9.3.5 | Ubuntu1 |
| Ubuntu | Python-Apt | 0.9.3.11 | — |
| Ubuntu | Python-Apt | 1.1.0 | Beta1 |
| Ubuntu | Python-Apt | 1.6.6 | — |
| Ubuntu | Python-Apt | 2.0.1 | — |
| Ubuntu | Python-Apt | 2.4.0 | \+22.10 |
| Ubuntu | Python-Apt | 2.7.7 | — |
| Ubuntu | Python-Apt | 3.0.0 | — |
| Debian | Debian Linux | 11.0 | — |
References
- https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/python-apt/+bug/2091865Exploit, Issue Tracking, Third Party Advisory
- https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2025/12/msg00019.htmlMailing List, Third Party Advisory
Timeline
- Published
- Last Modified
- Status
- Analyzed
Frequently Asked Questions
What is CVE-2025-6966?
NULL pointer dereference in TagSection.keys() in python-apt on APT-based Linux systems allows a local attacker to cause a denial of service (process crash) via a crafted deb822 file with a malformed non-UTF-8 key.
How severe is CVE-2025-6966?
CVE-2025-6966 has a CVSS score of 5.5/10 (MEDIUM severity). The EPSS model estimates a 0.14% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
How do I fix CVE-2025-6966?
Check the vendor references and advisories linked above for patched versions and mitigation guidance. You can also run a Strix scan to test if your systems are affected.
How Strix Helps
- How Strix found a critical auth bypass in etcdStrix autonomously discovered a critical authentication bypass in etcd, later designated CVE-2026-33413.
- Autonomous PentestingAI agents that find and validate exploitable vulnerabilities like this one across your applications.
- PR ReviewsPentest every pull request so vulnerable code is caught before it ships to production.
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Are you affected by CVE-2025-6966?
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