CVE-2014-3538: christos_zoulas file Resource Management Errors
Vulnerability summary
CVE-2014-3538 is a medium (CVSS 5.0) Resource Management Errors vulnerability in christos_zoulas file. EPSS estimates a 11.81% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days, higher than 96% of scored vulnerabilities. 1 public exploit is recorded.
Not severe (CVSS 5, network access); no exploitation reported by the 5 checked sources
Source freshness unavailable
How is this decided?Advisory lineage
Upstream 0 · Downstream 14 · Related 4Timeline
- 03-07-2014PublishedVulnerability first disclosed.
- 06-08-2024Last modifiedVulnerability information updated.
Description
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.
CVSS metrics
1 score · 1 source · 1 versionEPSS trend
Probability
11.81%
Chance of exploitation in the next 30 days
Percentile
96%
Versus all other CVEs
30-day change
No change 0.00 pp
From 11.81% on 05-10-2026
Known exploited
Compare KEV catalogs
CISA KEVNot in the CISA KEV catalog.
ENISA CNWNot in the ENISA CNW catalog.
CIRCLNot in the CIRCL catalog.
Public exploits
1 foundFile
Maturity: poc
Weaknesses
CWE · root causeAffected systems
Known conditions: network-reachable, no authentication (CVSS vector). Other conditions: not stated in public data.
Debian2 products
- file< 1:5.19-1
- debian_linuxEOL7.0 | 8.0
Mageia2 products
- file< 5.12-8.6.mga3
- file< 5.16-1.5.mga4
Christos_zoulas1 product
- file≤ 5.18 | 5.00 | 5.01 | 5.02 | 5.03 | 5.04 | 5.05 | 5.06 | 5.07 | 5.08 | 5.09 | 5.10 | 5.11 | 5.12 | 5.13 | 5.14 | 5.15 | 5.16 | 5.17
Php1 product
- php≥ 5.4.0, < 5.4.32 | ≥ 5.5.0, < 5.5.16
Ubuntu1 product
- file< 1:5.14-2ubuntu3.1
5 vendors · 7 products
References
30 links- github.com/file/file/commit/74cafd7de9ec99a14f4480927580e501c8f852c3X Refsource CONFIRMExploitPatchThird Party Advisory
- github.com/file/file/commit/71a8b6c0d758acb0f73e2e51421a711b5e9d6668X Refsource CONFIRMExploitPatchThird Party Advisory
- www.oracle.com/technetwork/topics/security/linuxbulletinapr2016-2952096.htmlX Refsource CONFIRMThird Party Advisory
- bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1098222X Refsource CONFIRMIssue TrackingThird Party AdvisoryREPORT
- github.com/file/file/commit/4a284c89d6ef11aca34da65da7d673050a5ea320X Refsource CONFIRMExploitPatchThird Party Advisory
Show all 30 references
- www.oracle.com/technetwork/security-advisory/cpuoct2017-3236626.htmlX Refsource CONFIRMPatchThird Party Advisory
- www.oracle.com/technetwork/topics/security/linuxbulletinoct2015-2719645.htmlX Refsource CONFIRMThird Party Advisory
- lists.apple.com/archives/security-announce/2015/Apr/msg00001.htmlVendor AdvisoryX Refsource APPLEMailing ListThird Party Advisory
- www.oracle.com/technetwork/topics/security/bulletinjan2015-2370101.htmlX Refsource CONFIRMThird Party Advisory
- github.com/file/file/commit/69a5a43b3b71f53b0577f41264a073f495799610X Refsource CONFIRMPatchThird Party Advisory
- github.com/file/file/commit/758e066df72fb1ac08d2eea91ddc3973d259e991X Refsource CONFIRMExploitPatchThird Party Advisory