CVE-2015-8241: Buffer Overflow

Published Nov 13, 2015
·
Updated

A buffer overread in xmlNextChar was found, causing segmentation fault when compiled with ASAN.

Upstream bug (contains reproducer):

https://bugzilla.gnome.org/showbug.cgi?id=756263

Upstream patch:

https://git.gnome.org/browse/libxml2/commit/?id=ab2b9a93ff19cedde7befbf2fcc48c6e352b6cbe

Other sources

The xmlNextChar function in libxml2 2.9.2 does not properly check the state, which allows context-dependent attackers to cause a denial of service (heap-based buffer over-read and application crash) or obtain sensitive information via crafted XML data.

MITRE

Affected Software

13 affected components
Debian Debian Linux=7.0
Debian Debian Linux=8.0
redhat Enterprise Linux Desktop=6.0
redhat Enterprise Linux Hpc Node=6.0
redhat Enterprise Linux Server=6.0
redhat Enterprise Linux Workstation=6.0
HP IceWall Federation Agent=3.0
HP IceWall File Manager=3.0
Canonical Ubuntu Linux=12.04
Canonical Ubuntu Linux=14.04
Canonical Ubuntu Linux=15.04
Canonical Ubuntu Linux=15.10
Xmlsoft Libxml2<=2.9.2

Event History

Nov 13, 2015
Data Sourced
08:59 PM
DescriptionSeverityAffected Software
Dec 15, 2015
CVE Published
via MITRE·09:00 PM
Data Sourced
via MITRE·09:00 PM
Description
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Frequently Asked Questions

1

What is the severity of CVE-2015-8241?

CVE-2015-8241 is classified as a high severity vulnerability due to its potential to cause a segmentation fault.

2

What systems are affected by CVE-2015-8241?

CVE-2015-8241 affects various versions of Debian Linux, Red Hat Enterprise Linux, and Ubuntu Linux that utilize vulnerable versions of libxml2.

3

How do I fix CVE-2015-8241?

To fix CVE-2015-8241, update the libxml2 library to a version newer than 2.9.2 which has the vulnerability patched.

4

What kind of vulnerability is CVE-2015-8241?

CVE-2015-8241 is a buffer overread vulnerability found in the xmlNextChar function.

5

Is CVE-2015-8241 a remotely exploitable vulnerability?

CVE-2015-8241 may be exploited remotely depending on the application using the affected libxml2 library.

Contact

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