CVE-2005-4872: Integer Overflow

Published Dec 31, 2005
·
Updated

CVE-2006-7224 initially described several integer overflows in pcre, all described here: http://scary.beasts.org/security/CESA-2007-006.html

This id should be used to describe issue #2 in that advisory:

2) Uncharacterized crash researching item #1 above: Demo:

(?P<0>)(?P<1>)...fill in this sequence...(?P<3999>)

This does not trigger the integer overflow present in #1 above, but still crashes with a serious-looking memory error of some kind - possibly a buffer overflow.

Other sources

Perl-Compatible Regular Expression (PCRE) library before 6.2 does not properly count the number of named capturing subpatterns, which allows context-dependent attackers to cause a denial of service (crash) via a regular expression with a large number of named subpatterns, which triggers a buffer overflow. NOTE: this issue was originally subsumed by CVE-2006-7224, but that CVE has been REJECTED and split.

Red Hat

Affected Software

3 affected componentsFixes available
redhat/pcre<0:4.5-4.el4_5.4
0:4.5-4.el4_5.4
redhat/pcre<0:6.6-2.el5_1.1
0:6.6-2.el5_1.1
pcre pcre<=6.1

Event History

Dec 31, 2005
CVE Published
05:00 AM
Rejected
05:00 AM
Nov 14, 2007
Data Sourced
via Red Hat·08:52 PM
DescriptionSeverityAffected Software
Nov 15, 2007
CVE Published
via MITRE·02:00 AM
Data Sourced
via MITRE·02:00 AM
Description

Parent advisories

This vulnerability appears in the following advisories.

Frequently Asked Questions

1

What is the severity of CVE-2005-4872?

CVE-2005-4872 is classified as a moderate severity vulnerability due to potential integer overflow issues in the PCRE library.

2

How do I fix CVE-2005-4872?

To fix CVE-2005-4872, upgrade to a fixed version of the pcre package, specifically versions greater than 4.5-4.el4_5.4 or 6.6-2.el5_1.1.

3

What software is affected by CVE-2005-4872?

CVE-2005-4872 affects the pcre package, particularly versions up to 4.5-4.el4_5.4 and 6.6-2.el5_1.1.

4

What vulnerabilities does CVE-2005-4872 relate to?

CVE-2005-4872 is associated with multiple integer overflow vulnerabilities in the PCRE library, as initially described.

5

Is CVE-2005-4872 still a threat to current systems?

CVE-2005-4872 may still pose a threat to systems that have not been updated to secure versions of the PCRE library.

Contact

SecAlerts Pty Ltd.
132 Wickham Terrace
Fortitude Valley,
QLD 4006, Australia
info@secalerts.co
By using SecAlerts services, you agree to our services end-user license agreement. This website is safeguarded by reCAPTCHA and governed by the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. All names, logos, and brands of products are owned by their respective owners, and any usage of these names, logos, and brands for identification purposes only does not imply endorsement. If you possess any content that requires removal, please get in touch with us.
© 2026 SecAlerts Pty Ltd.
ABN: 70 645 966 203, ACN: 645 966 203