CVE-2013-2120: The %{password(...)} macro in pastemacroexpander.cpp in the KDE Paste Applet before 4.10.5 in kdeplasma-add...

Security readout for executives and security teams

CVE-2013-2120 affects the KDE Paste Applet before 4.10.5. Its password macro could generate weak passwords, making accounts that relied on those passwords easier to brute force. The business risk is mainly legacy Linux desktop exposure and reused generated passwords, not broad internet-facing server compromise. Exposure is likely limited to KDE environments using KDE Paste Applet versions before 4.10.5, especially where users generated authentication passwords with the affected macro. Modern systems are unlikely affected unless legacy KDE packages or old generated passwords remain in use. Handle this as legacy exposure cleanup with credential hygiene impact. It is not flagged as known exploited in the provided sources, but any affected generated passwords should be treated as weak and rotated where they protected meaningful access. Mitigation focus: Upgrade KDE Paste Applet or kdeplasma-addons to version 4.10.5 or later.; Apply vendor or distribution packages that explicitly address CVE-2013-2120.; Stop using the affected password macro on unpatched systems..

Prepared

Jun 6, 2026, 02:28 UTC (UTC+00:00)

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