Zero-Day Exploit: WICD under Linux

This has been a bad week for computing systems.

• Oracle Java exploit under Apple MacOSX, open and shut case.


• Microsoft Zero-Day Exploit in nearly all applications, still somewhat open.


• Adobe Acrobat Reader (Windows, MacOSX and Linux), open and shut case.


• Now a Linux Security issue, open and shut case.

WICD Linux Exploit

As published in the patch description.

Backtrack 5 R2 (the latest version) allowed the student to overwrite settings to gain a root shell. The flaw was found in wicd (the Wireless
Interface Connection Daemon)

What is WICD?

A network connection manager that aims to simplify wired and wireless networking in Linux.

If you are a wireless Linux user of WICD, get your patch.