How severe is CVE-2005-3382?

CVE-2005-3382 has a CVSS 2.0 base score of 5.0, rated medium severity.

Is CVE-2005-3382 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 4% (90th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2005-3382?

CVE-2005-3382 affects Sophos Sophos Anti-virus. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.

How do I fix CVE-2005-3382?

Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.

When was CVE-2005-3382 published?

CVE-2005-3382 was published on 2005-10-30 and last updated on 2026-06-16.

CVE-2005-3382

CVE-2005-3382 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Sophos Sophos Anti-virus with a CVSS 2.0 base score of 5.0. It is not currently listed as actively exploited by CISA, and its EPSS exploit-prediction score is low.

Key facts

Severity: Medium (CVSS 2.0 base score 5.0)
EPSS exploit prediction: 4% (90th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Affected product: Sophos Sophos Anti-virus
Published: 2005-10-30
Last modified: 2026-06-16

Description

Multiple interpretation error in Sophos 3.91 with the 2.28.4 engine allows remote attackers to bypass virus scanning via a file such as BAT, HTML, and EML with an "MZ" magic byte sequence which is normally associated with EXE, which causes the file to be treated as a safe type that could still be executed as a dangerous file type by applications on the end system, as demonstrated by a "triple headed" program that contains EXE, EML, and HTML content, aka the "magic byte bug."

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2005-3382?: Multiple interpretation error in Sophos 3.91 with the 2.28.4 engine allows remote attackers to bypass virus scanning via a file such as BAT, HTML, and EML with an "MZ" magic byte sequence which is normally associated with EXE, which causes the file to be treated as a safe type that could still be executed as a dangerous file type by applications on the end system, as demonstrated by a "triple headed" program that contains EXE, EML, and HTML content, aka the "magic byte bug."
How severe is CVE-2005-3382?: CVE-2005-3382 has a CVSS 2.0 base score of 5.0, rated medium severity.
Is CVE-2005-3382 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 4% (90th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2005-3382?: CVE-2005-3382 affects Sophos Sophos Anti-virus. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.
How do I fix CVE-2005-3382?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.
When was CVE-2005-3382 published?: CVE-2005-3382 was published on 2005-10-30 and last updated on 2026-06-16.

References

Affected products (1)

cpe:2.3:a:sophos:sophos_anti-virus:3.91_engine_2.28.4:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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