CVE-2012-3406
6.8 · MEDIUMThe vfprintf function in stdio-common/vfprintf.c in GNU C Library (aka glibc) 2.5, 2.12, and probably other versions does not "properly restrict the use of" the alloca function when allocating the…
Overview
CVE-2012-3406 is a medium-severity vulnerability affecting gnu glibc. It was published on February 10, 2014 and has a CVSS 2.0 base score of 6.8 (MEDIUM).
This vulnerability has a CVSS 2.0 base score of 6.8, rated MEDIUM. It can be exploited remotely over the network. No authentication or special privileges are required for exploitation.
Technical description
The vfprintf function in stdio-common/vfprintf.c in GNU C Library (aka glibc) 2.5, 2.12, and probably other versions does not "properly restrict the use of" the alloca function when allocating the SPECS array, which allows context-dependent attackers to bypass the FORTIFY_SOURCE format-string protection mechanism and cause a denial of service (crash) or possibly execute arbitrary code via a crafted format string using positional parameters and a large number of format specifiers, a different vulnerability than CVE-2012-3404 and CVE-2012-3405.
Remediation
Check the references section for vendor advisories and patches from gnu. Update glibc to the latest patched version. If immediate patching is not possible, review the CVSS vector to understand the attack surface and apply compensating controls such as network segmentation or access restrictions.
Affected products
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References
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Frequently asked questions
What is CVE-2012-3406?
CVE-2012-3406 is a medium-severity vulnerability affecting gnu glibc. It was published on February 10, 2014 and has a CVSS 2.0 base score of 6.8 (MEDIUM).
How severe is CVE-2012-3406?
This vulnerability has a CVSS 2.0 base score of 6.8, rated MEDIUM. It can be exploited remotely over the network. No authentication or special privileges are required for exploitation.
How do I fix or remediate CVE-2012-3406?
Check the references section for vendor advisories and patches from gnu. Update glibc to the latest patched version. If immediate patching is not possible, review the CVSS vector to understand the attack surface and apply compensating controls such as network segmentation or access restrictions.
How can CyberStrike help with CVE-2012-3406?
CyberStrike is an open-source, AI-augmented pentesting engine. Rather than flag a version number, it tests whether an issue like CVE-2012-3406 is actually reachable in your own applications and APIs, then verifies each finding before reporting it. That tells you if the weakness is a real, exploitable risk in your environment or a false positive you can safely deprioritize.
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