// For flags

CVE-2015-1473

glibc: Stack-overflow in glibc swscanf

Severity Score

5.9
*CVSS v3

Exploit Likelihood

*EPSS

Affected Versions

*CPE

Public Exploits

0
*Multiple Sources

Exploited in Wild

-
*KEV

Decision

-
*SSVC
Descriptions

The ADDW macro in stdio-common/vfscanf.c in the GNU C Library (aka glibc or libc6) before 2.21 does not properly consider data-type size during a risk-management decision for use of the alloca function, which might allow context-dependent attackers to cause a denial of service (segmentation violation) or overwrite memory locations beyond the stack boundary via a long line containing wide characters that are improperly handled in a wscanf call.

El macro ADDW en stdio-common/vfscanf.c en la libraría GNU C (también conocida como glibc o libc6) anterior a 2.21 no considera correctamente el tamaño de tipos de datos durante una decisión de la gestión de riesgos para utilizar en la función alloca, lo que podría permitir atacantes dependientes de contexto causar una denegación de servicio (violación de segmentación) o sobrescribir localizaciones de memoria más allá del límite de la pila a través de una línea larga que contiene caracateres anchas que se manejen incorrectamente en una llamada wscanf.

A stack overflow flaw was found in glibc's swscanf() function. An attacker able to make an application call the swscanf() function could use this flaw to crash that application or, potentially, execute arbitrary code with the permissions of the user running the application.

The glibc packages provide the standard C libraries, POSIX thread libraries, standard math libraries, and the Name Server Caching Daemon used by multiple programs on the system. Without these libraries, the Linux system cannot function correctly. It was discovered that the nss_files backend for the Name Service Switch in glibc would return incorrect data to applications or corrupt the heap. A local attacker could potentially use this flaw to execute arbitrary code on the system. It was discovered that, under certain circumstances, glibc's getaddrinfo() function would send DNS queries to random file descriptors. An attacker could potentially use this flaw to send DNS queries to unintended recipients, resulting in information disclosure or data loss due to the application encountering corrupted data.

*Credits: N/A
CVSS Scores
Attack Vector
Network
Attack Complexity
High
Privileges Required
None
User Interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
None
Integrity
None
Availability
High
Attack Vector
Network
Attack Complexity
Low
Authentication
None
Confidentiality
None
Integrity
Partial
Availability
Partial
Attack Vector
Local
Attack Complexity
High
Authentication
None
Confidentiality
Partial
Integrity
None
Availability
Partial
* Common Vulnerability Scoring System
SSVC
  • Decision:-
Exploitation
-
Automatable
-
Tech. Impact
-
* Organization's Worst-case Scenario
Timeline
  • 2015-02-03 CVE Reserved
  • 2015-02-24 CVE Published
  • 2024-08-06 CVE Updated
  • 2025-05-21 EPSS Updated
  • ---------- Exploited in Wild
  • ---------- KEV Due Date
  • ---------- First Exploit
CWE
  • CWE-119: Improper Restriction of Operations within the Bounds of a Memory Buffer
  • CWE-121: Stack-based Buffer Overflow
CAPEC
Affected Vendors, Products, and Versions
Vendor Product Version Other Status
Vendor Product Version Other Status <-- --> Vendor Product Version Other Status
Canonical
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Ubuntu Linux
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10.04
Search vendor "Canonical" for product "Ubuntu Linux" and version "10.04"
lts
Affected
Canonical
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Ubuntu Linux
Search vendor "Canonical" for product "Ubuntu Linux"
12.04
Search vendor "Canonical" for product "Ubuntu Linux" and version "12.04"
lts
Affected
Canonical
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Ubuntu Linux
Search vendor "Canonical" for product "Ubuntu Linux"
14.04
Search vendor "Canonical" for product "Ubuntu Linux" and version "14.04"
lts
Affected
Canonical
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Ubuntu Linux
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14.10
Search vendor "Canonical" for product "Ubuntu Linux" and version "14.10"
-
Affected
Gnu
Search vendor "Gnu"
Glibc
Search vendor "Gnu" for product "Glibc"
<= 2.20
Search vendor "Gnu" for product "Glibc" and version " <= 2.20"
-
Affected