CVE-2014-9488

CVE-2014-9488 is a critical-severity vulnerability in Gnu Less with a CVSS 2.0 base score of 10.0. 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-119.

Key facts

Description

The is_utf8_well_formed function in GNU less before 475 allows remote attackers to have unspecified impact via malformed UTF-8 characters, which triggers an out-of-bounds read.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2014-9488?
The is_utf8_well_formed function in GNU less before 475 allows remote attackers to have unspecified impact via malformed UTF-8 characters, which triggers an out-of-bounds read.
How severe is CVE-2014-9488?
CVE-2014-9488 has a CVSS 2.0 base score of 10.0, rated critical severity.
Is CVE-2014-9488 being actively exploited?
It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 4% (89th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2014-9488?
CVE-2014-9488 primarily affects Gnu Less. In total, 3 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2014-9488?
Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its critical severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.
When was CVE-2014-9488 published?
CVE-2014-9488 was published on 2015-04-14 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (3)

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