Vulnerability DatabaseCVE-2014-3538
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CVE-2014-3538
Published:July 03, 2014
Updated:May 17, 2026
file before 5.19 does not properly restrict the amount of data read during a regex search, which allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (CPU consumption) via a crafted file that triggers backtracking during processing of an awk rule. NOTE: this vulnerability exists because of an incomplete fix for CVE-2013-7345.
Related Resources (25)
http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2014-1765.html
https://github.com/file/file/commit/74cafd7de9ec99a14f4480927580e501c8f852c3
http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/68348
http://www.debian.org/security/2014/dsa-3008
https://github.com/file/file/commit/69a5a43b3b71f53b0577f41264a073f495799610
http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/topics/security/bulletinjan2015-2370101.html
http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2014-1766.html
https://support.apple.com/HT204659
https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2014-3538
http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2016-0760.html
http://lists.apple.com/archives/security-announce/2015/Apr/msg00001.html
http://mx.gw.com/pipermail/file/2014/001553.html
http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/topics/security/linuxbulletinoct2015-2719645.html
http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/topics/security/linuxbulletinapr2016-2952096.html
http://secunia.com/advisories/60696
http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2014-1327.html
https://security-tracker.debian.org/tracker/CVE-2014-3538
http://openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2014/06/30/7
http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/security-advisory/cpuoct2017-3236626.html
https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1098222
http://www.debian.org/security/2014/dsa-3021
https://github.com/file/file/commit/4a284c89d6ef11aca34da65da7d673050a5ea320
https://github.com/file/file/commit/758e066df72fb1ac08d2eea91ddc3973d259e991
https://people.canonical.com/~ubuntu-security/cve/CVE-2014-3538
https://github.com/file/file/commit/71a8b6c0d758acb0f73e2e51421a711b5e9d6668
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CVSS v3
Base Score:
5.3
Attack Vector
NETWORK
Attack Complexity
LOW
Privileges Required
NONE
User Interaction
NONE
Scope
UNCHANGED
Confidentiality
NONE
Integrity
NONE
Availability
LOW
CVSS v2
Base Score:
5
Access Vector
NETWORK
Access Complexity
LOW
Authentication
NONE
Confidentiality Impact
NONE
Integrity Impact
NONE
Availability Impact
PARTIAL
EPSS
Base Score:
21.04