CVE-2015-8779: Buffer Overflow

Published Jan 20, 2016
·
Updated

A stack overflow vulnerability in the catopen function was found, causing applications which pass long strings to the catopen function to crash or, potentially execute arbitrary code.

Upstream bug:

https://sourceware.org/bugzilla/showbug.cgi?id=17905

CVE assignment:

http://seclists.org/oss-sec/2016/q1/153

Other sources

Stack-based buffer overflow in the catopen function in the GNU C Library (aka glibc or libc6) before 2.23 allows context-dependent attackers to cause a denial of service (application crash) or possibly execute arbitrary code via a long catalog name.

MITRE

Affected Software

25 affected componentsFixes available
redhat/glibc<2.23
2.23
SUSE Linux Enterprise Debuginfo=11-sp2
SUSE Linux Enterprise Debuginfo=11-sp3
SUSE Linux Enterprise Debuginfo=11-sp4
openSUSE openSUSE=13.2
SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop=11-sp3
SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop=11-sp4
SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop=12
SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop=12-sp1
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server=11-sp2
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server=11-sp3
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server Vmware=11-sp3
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server=11-sp4
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server=12-sp1
SUSE Linux Enterprise Software Development Kit=11-sp3
SUSE Linux Enterprise Software Development Kit=11-sp4
SUSE Linux Enterprise Software Development Kit=12
SUSE Linux Enterprise Software Development Kit=12-sp1
SUSE SUSE Linux Enterprise Server=12
Canonical Ubuntu Linux=12.04
Canonical Ubuntu Linux=14.04
Canonical Ubuntu Linux=15.10
Debian Debian Linux=8.0
GNU glibc<=2.22
Fedoraproject Fedora=23

Event History

Apr 19, 2016
CVE Published
via MITRE·09:00 PM
Data Sourced
via MITRE·09:00 PM
Description

Frequently Asked Questions

1

What is the severity of CVE-2015-8779?

CVE-2015-8779 has a severity rating that indicates a potential denial of service or arbitrary code execution risk.

2

How do I fix CVE-2015-8779?

To fix CVE-2015-8779, upgrade the GNU C Library to version 2.23 or later.

3

What versions of glibc are affected by CVE-2015-8779?

Versions of glibc prior to 2.23 are affected by CVE-2015-8779.

4

What is the impact of CVE-2015-8779 on my system?

The impact of CVE-2015-8779 includes the possibility of application crashes and potential arbitrary code execution.

5

Who can exploit CVE-2015-8779?

CVE-2015-8779 can be exploited by context-dependent attackers through the use of long catalog names.

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