How severe is CVE-2008-3142?

CVE-2008-3142 has a CVSS 2.0 base score of 7.5, rated high severity.

Is CVE-2008-3142 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-2008-3142?

CVE-2008-3142 primarily affects Python. In total, 6 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.

How do I fix CVE-2008-3142?

Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its high severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.

When was CVE-2008-3142 published?

CVE-2008-3142 was published on 2008-08-01 and last updated on 2026-06-16.

CVE-2008-3142

CVE-2008-3142 is a high-severity vulnerability in Python with a CVSS 2.0 base score of 7.5. It is not currently listed as actively exploited by CISA, and its EPSS exploit-prediction score is low. The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-120.

Key facts

Severity: High (CVSS 2.0 base score 7.5)
EPSS exploit prediction: 4% (90th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-120
Affected product: Python
Published: 2008-08-01
Last modified: 2026-06-16

Description

Multiple buffer overflows in Python 2.5.2 and earlier on 32bit platforms allow context-dependent attackers to cause a denial of service (crash) or have unspecified other impact via a long string that leads to incorrect memory allocation during Unicode string processing, related to the unicode_resize function and the PyMem_RESIZE macro.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2008-3142?: Multiple buffer overflows in Python 2.5.2 and earlier on 32bit platforms allow context-dependent attackers to cause a denial of service (crash) or have unspecified other impact via a long string that leads to incorrect memory allocation during Unicode string processing, related to the unicode_resize function and the PyMem_RESIZE macro.
How severe is CVE-2008-3142?: CVE-2008-3142 has a CVSS 2.0 base score of 7.5, rated high severity.
Is CVE-2008-3142 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-2008-3142?: CVE-2008-3142 primarily affects Python. In total, 6 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2008-3142?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its high severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.
When was CVE-2008-3142 published?: CVE-2008-3142 was published on 2008-08-01 and last updated on 2026-06-16.

References

Affected products (6)

cpe:2.3:a:python:python:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:6.06:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:7.04:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:7.10:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:8.04:*:*:*:-:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:debian:debian_linux:4.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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