CVE-2015-8979

CVE-2015-8979 is a high-severity vulnerability in Dicom Dcmtk with a CVSS 3.x 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-119.

Key facts

Description

Stack-based buffer overflow in the parsePresentationContext function in storescp in DICOM dcmtk-3.6.0 and earlier allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (segmentation fault) via a long string sent to TCP port 4242.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2015-8979?
Stack-based buffer overflow in the parsePresentationContext function in storescp in DICOM dcmtk-3.6.0 and earlier allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (segmentation fault) via a long string sent to TCP port 4242.
How severe is CVE-2015-8979?
CVE-2015-8979 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.5, rated high severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is none, integrity none, and availability high.
Is CVE-2015-8979 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-2015-8979?
CVE-2015-8979 primarily affects Dicom Dcmtk. In total, 2 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2015-8979?
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-2015-8979 published?
CVE-2015-8979 was published on 2017-02-15 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (2)

Other CWE-119 (Improper Restriction of Operations within the Bounds of a Memory Buffer) vulnerabilities

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