CVE-2014-9653

CVE-2014-9653 is a high-severity vulnerability in File Project File 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-20.

Key facts

• Severity: High (CVSS 2.0 base score 7.5)
• EPSS exploit prediction: 5% (91st percentile)
• Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
• Weakness: CWE-20
• Affected product: File Project File
• Published: 2015-03-30
• Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

readelf.c in file before 5.22, as used in the Fileinfo component in PHP before 5.4.37, 5.5.x before 5.5.21, and 5.6.x before 5.6.5, does not consider that pread calls sometimes read only a subset of the available data, which allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (uninitialized memory access) or possibly have unspecified other impact via a crafted ELF file.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2014-9653?

readelf.c in file before 5.22, as used in the Fileinfo component in PHP before 5.4.37, 5.5.x before 5.5.21, and 5.6.x before 5.6.5, does not consider that pread calls sometimes read only a subset of the available data, which allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (uninitialized memory access) or possibly have unspecified other impact via a crafted ELF file.

How severe is CVE-2014-9653?

CVE-2014-9653 has a CVSS 2.0 base score of 7.5, rated high severity.

Is CVE-2014-9653 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 5% (91st percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2014-9653?

CVE-2014-9653 primarily affects File Project File. In total, 49 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.

How do I fix CVE-2014-9653?

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-2014-9653 published?

CVE-2014-9653 was published on 2015-03-30 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

• http://bugs.gw.com/view.php?id=409
• http://marc.info/?l=bugtraq&m=143748090628601&w=2
• http://marc.info/?l=bugtraq&m=144050155601375&w=2
• http://mx.gw.com/pipermail/file/2014/001649.html
• http://openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2015/02/05/13
• http://php.net/ChangeLog-5.php
• http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2016-0760.html
• http://www.debian.org/security/2015/dsa-3196
• http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/topics/security/bulletinjul2015-2511963.html
• http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/topics/security/linuxbulletinapr2016-2952096.html
• http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/topics/security/linuxbulletinoct2015-2719645.html
• http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/72516
• https://github.com/file/file/commit/445c8fb0ebff85195be94cd9f7e1df89cade5c7f
• https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/201701-42
• https://usn.ubuntu.com/3686-1/

Affected products (49)

• cpe:2.3:a:file_project:file:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:php:php:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:php:php:5.5.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:php:php:5.5.0:alpha1:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:php:php:5.5.0:alpha2:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:php:php:5.5.0:alpha3:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:php:php:5.5.0:alpha4:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:php:php:5.5.0:alpha5:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:php:php:5.5.0:alpha6:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:php:php:5.5.0:beta1:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:php:php:5.5.0:beta2:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:php:php:5.5.0:beta3:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:php:php:5.5.0:beta4:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:php:php:5.5.0:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:php:php:5.5.0:rc2:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:php:php:5.5.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:php:php:5.5.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:php:php:5.5.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:php:php:5.5.4:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:php:php:5.5.5:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:php:php:5.5.6:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:php:php:5.5.7:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:php:php:5.5.8:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:php:php:5.5.9:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:php:php:5.5.10:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:php:php:5.5.11:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:php:php:5.5.12:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:php:php:5.5.13:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:php:php:5.5.14:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:php:php:5.5.15:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:php:php:5.5.16:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:php:php:5.5.17:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:php:php:5.5.18:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:php:php:5.5.19:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:php:php:5.5.20:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:php:php:5.6.0:alpha1:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:php:php:5.6.0:alpha2:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:php:php:5.6.0:alpha3:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:php:php:5.6.0:alpha4:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:php:php:5.6.0:alpha5:*:*:*:*:*:*

More vulnerabilities in File Project File

• CVE-2019-8907 — High (CVSS 8.8): do_core_note in readelf.c in libmagic.a in file 5.35 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (stack…
• CVE-2019-8904 — High (CVSS 8.8): do_bid_note in readelf.c in libmagic.a in file 5.35 has a stack-based buffer over-read, related to file_printf and…
• CVE-2019-18218 — High (CVSS 7.8): cdf_read_property_info in cdf.c in file through 5.37 does not restrict the number of CDF_VECTOR elements, which allows…
• CVE-2018-10360 — Medium (CVSS 6.5): The do_core_note function in readelf.c in libmagic.a in file 5.33 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service…
• CVE-2014-3480 — Medium (CVSS 6.5): The cdf_count_chain function in cdf.c in file before 5.19, as used in the Fileinfo component in PHP before 5.4.30 and…
• CVE-2022-48554 — Medium (CVSS 5.5): File before 5.43 has an stack-based buffer over-read in file_copystr in funcs.c. NOTE: "File" is the name of an Open…

All CVEs affecting File Project File →

Other CWE-20 (Improper Input Validation) vulnerabilities

• CVE-2026-48316 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): ColdFusion versions 2025.9, 2023.20 and earlier are affected by an Improper Input Validation vulnerability that could…
• CVE-2026-48281 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): ColdFusion versions 2025.9, 2023.20 and earlier are affected by an Improper Input Validation vulnerability that could…
• CVE-2026-48277 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): ColdFusion versions 2025.9, 2023.20 and earlier are affected by an Improper Input Validation vulnerability that could…
• CVE-2026-48055 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): Streambert is a cross-platform Electron Desktop App to stream and download any video media. In versions 2.4.0 and…
• CVE-2026-34910 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): A malicious actor with access to the network could exploit an Improper Input Validation vulnerability found in UniFi OS…
• CVE-2026-33587 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): Lack of user input sanitisation in Open Notebook v1.8.3 allows the application user to execute Python code (and…

Browse all CWE-20 (Improper Input Validation) vulnerabilities →

Threat intelligence

Threat-intel indicators referencing this CVE:

• 45.84.120.3 (ipv4-addr)
• 221.161.235.168 (ipv4-addr)
• 200.196.50.91 (ipv4-addr)
• 187.141.71.166 (ipv4-addr)
• 187.110.238.50 (ipv4-addr)
• 113.164.66.10 (ipv4-addr)
• 103.38.219.22 (ipv4-addr)
• 103.20.122.54 (ipv4-addr)