CVE-2009-4902: Buffer overflow in the MSGFunctionDemarshall function in winscard_svc.c in the PC/SC Smart Card daemon (aka...

Security readout for executives and security teams

This is an old local privilege-escalation issue in the PC/SC Smart Card daemon, PCSC-Lite. A logged-in local user might abuse malformed smart-card control message data to trigger a buffer overflow and gain higher privileges. It matters mainly on systems where pcscd is installed and local user access is possible. Exposure is likely limited to Linux or Unix-like systems running PCSC-Lite pcscd, especially versions 1.5.4 and earlier or unfixed distribution packages. Systems without pcscd or without local untrusted users have less apparent exposure based on the provided sources. Treat as a targeted remediation item, not an emergency internet-facing incident. Prioritize shared servers, workstations with multiple users, and systems relying on smart-card services. The main business risk is local privilege escalation after an attacker already has local access. Mitigation focus: Apply vendor security updates for pcsc-lite from Debian, Fedora, or your distribution.; Upgrade affected PCSC-Lite 1.5.4 or earlier installations using vendor-approved packages.; Check vendor advisories before assuming a specific upstream version fixes your package..

Prepared

Jun 28, 2026, 02:01 UTC (UTC+00:00)

Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.