CVE-2015-8778

CVE-2015-8778 is a critical-severity vulnerability in Gnu Glibc with a CVSS 3.x base score of 9.8. 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

Integer overflow in the GNU C Library (aka glibc or libc6) before 2.23 allows context-dependent attackers to cause a denial of service (application crash) or possibly execute arbitrary code via the size argument to the __hcreate_r function, which triggers out-of-bounds heap-memory access.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2015-8778?
Integer overflow in the GNU C Library (aka glibc or libc6) before 2.23 allows context-dependent attackers to cause a denial of service (application crash) or possibly execute arbitrary code via the size argument to the __hcreate_r function, which triggers out-of-bounds heap-memory access.
How severe is CVE-2015-8778?
CVE-2015-8778 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 9.8, rated critical severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.
Is CVE-2015-8778 being actively exploited?
It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 6% (93rd percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2015-8778?
CVE-2015-8778 primarily affects Gnu Glibc. In total, 24 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2015-8778?
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-2015-8778 published?
CVE-2015-8778 was published on 2016-04-19 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (24)

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