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TI-2005-02359 Aliases CVE-2005-2491GHSA-h9j2-347v-3v58

Integer overflow in pcre_compile.c in Perl Compatible Regular Expressions (PCRE) before…

Priority MEDIUM 40Published · Updated

Key facts

Attack vector
Network
Privileges required
None
User interaction
— Not recorded in CVSS 2.0
Attack complexity
Low
Impact type
—
Confidentiality · integrity · availability
Partial · Partial · Partial
Fix status
Fixed

Attack profile from CVSS 2.0 · NVD. Fix status from CNA and Red Hat.

Summary

Integer overflow in pcre_compile.c in Perl Compatible Regular Expressions (PCRE) before 6.2, as used in multiple products such as Python, Ethereal, and PHP, allows attackers to execute arbitrary code via quantifier values in regular expressions, which leads to a heap-based buffer overflow.

Why it matters now

EPSS 0.04344 91st percentileScored 2026-11-07
Fix Fixed Red Hat: 3 advisories

SSVC decision points

Not available: CISA has not published SSVC decision points for this record.

Affected products

VendorProductAffected versionsFixed inStatusSource
——all versions—No fix listedCNA
  • — Vendor— Affected all versions Fixed in — No fix listed CNA

CPE configurations NVD · 3

CPEVersionsRoleVendor
cpe:2.3:a:pcre:pcre:5.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*5.0VulnerablePCRE
cpe:2.3:a:pcre:pcre:6.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*6.0VulnerablePCRE
cpe:2.3:a:pcre:pcre:6.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*6.1VulnerablePCRE
  • cpe:2.3:a:pcre:pcre:5.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 5.0 Vulnerable ·PCRE
  • cpe:2.3:a:pcre:pcre:6.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.0 Vulnerable ·PCRE
  • cpe:2.3:a:pcre:pcre:6.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.1 Vulnerable ·PCRE

Remediation

Red Hat 3 advisories

  • RHSA-2006:0197 Released 2006-03-09 · Red Hat rating Moderate
    python security update
    • Red Hat Desktop version 3 python-2.2.3-6.2, python-2.2.3-6.2.i386, python-devel-2.2.3-6.2 +5
    • Red Hat Enterprise Linux AS version 3 python-2.2.3-6.2, python-2.2.3-6.2.i386, python-2.2.3-6.2.ia64 +13
    • Red Hat Enterprise Linux AS version 4 python-2.3.4-14.2, python-2.3.4-14.2.i386, python-2.3.4-14.2.ia64 +17
    • Red Hat Enterprise Linux Desktop version 4 python-2.3.4-14.2, python-2.3.4-14.2.i386, python-devel-2.3.4-14.2 +7
    • Red Hat Enterprise Linux ES version 3 python-2.2.3-6.2, python-2.2.3-6.2.i386, python-2.2.3-6.2.ia64 +9
    • Red Hat Enterprise Linux ES version 4 python-2.3.4-14.2, python-2.3.4-14.2.i386, python-2.3.4-14.2.ia64 +12
    • Red Hat Enterprise Linux WS version 3 python-2.2.3-6.2, python-2.2.3-6.2.i386, python-2.2.3-6.2.ia64 +9
    • Red Hat Enterprise Linux WS version 4 python-2.3.4-14.2, python-2.3.4-14.2.i386, python-2.3.4-14.2.ia64 +12
  • RHSA-2005:358 Released 2005-09-08 · Red Hat rating Moderate
    exim security update
    • Red Hat Enterprise Linux AS version 4 exim-4.43-1.RHEL4.5, exim-4.43-1.RHEL4.5.i386, exim-4.43-1.RHEL4.5.ia64 +13
    • Red Hat Enterprise Linux Desktop version 4 exim-4.43-1.RHEL4.5, exim-4.43-1.RHEL4.5.i386, exim-doc-4.43-1.RHEL4.5 +5
    • Red Hat Enterprise Linux ES version 4 exim-4.43-1.RHEL4.5, exim-4.43-1.RHEL4.5.i386, exim-4.43-1.RHEL4.5.ia64 +9
    • Red Hat Enterprise Linux WS version 4 exim-4.43-1.RHEL4.5, exim-4.43-1.RHEL4.5.i386, exim-4.43-1.RHEL4.5.ia64 +9
  • RHSA-2005:761 Released 2005-09-08 · Red Hat rating Moderate
    pcre security update
    • Red Hat Desktop version 3 pcre-3.9-10.2, pcre-3.9-10.2.i386, pcre-devel-3.9-10.2 +1
    • Red Hat Enterprise Linux AS version 3 pcre-3.9-10.2, pcre-3.9-10.2.i386, pcre-3.9-10.2.ia64 +5
    • Red Hat Enterprise Linux AS version 4 pcre-4.5-3.2.RHEL4, pcre-4.5-3.2.RHEL4.i386, pcre-4.5-3.2.RHEL4.ia64 +5
    • Red Hat Enterprise Linux Desktop version 4 pcre-4.5-3.2.RHEL4, pcre-4.5-3.2.RHEL4.i386, pcre-devel-4.5-3.2.RHEL4 +1
    • Red Hat Enterprise Linux ES version 3 pcre-3.9-10.2, pcre-3.9-10.2.i386, pcre-3.9-10.2.ia64 +3
    • Red Hat Enterprise Linux ES version 4 pcre-4.5-3.2.RHEL4, pcre-4.5-3.2.RHEL4.i386, pcre-4.5-3.2.RHEL4.ia64 +3
    • Red Hat Enterprise Linux WS version 3 pcre-3.9-10.2, pcre-3.9-10.2.i386, pcre-3.9-10.2.ia64 +3
    • Red Hat Enterprise Linux WS version 4 pcre-4.5-3.2.RHEL4, pcre-4.5-3.2.RHEL4.i386, pcre-4.5-3.2.RHEL4.ia64 +3

Vendor assessments

Red Hat

Red Hat rating: Moderate. Red Hat's page for this CVE →

ProductStatusPlan or fix
Red Hat Desktop version 3Fixed RHSA-2005:761, RHSA-2006:0197
Red Hat Enterprise Linux AS version 3Fixed RHSA-2005:761, RHSA-2006:0197
Red Hat Enterprise Linux AS version 4Fixed RHSA-2005:358, RHSA-2005:761, RHSA-2006:0197
Red Hat Enterprise Linux Desktop version 4Fixed RHSA-2005:358, RHSA-2005:761, RHSA-2006:0197
Red Hat Enterprise Linux ES version 3Fixed RHSA-2005:761, RHSA-2006:0197
Red Hat Enterprise Linux ES version 4Fixed RHSA-2005:358, RHSA-2005:761, RHSA-2006:0197
Red Hat Enterprise Linux WS version 3Fixed RHSA-2005:761, RHSA-2006:0197
Red Hat Enterprise Linux WS version 4Fixed RHSA-2005:358, RHSA-2005:761, RHSA-2006:0197

Timeline

  1. 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2005-2491
  2. 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-h9j2-347v-3v58

References

Advisory 23

Other 27

  • TI-2017-11950 In PCRE 8.41, after compiling, a pcretest load test PoC produces a crash overflow in the… CVSS 3.1MEDIUM 5.5
  • TI-2015-02839 Heap-based buffer overflow in PCRE 8.34 through 8.37 and PCRE2 10.10 allows remote… CVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
  • TI-2016-02677 The compile_branch function in pcre_compile.c in PCRE 8.x before 8.39 and pcre2_compile.c… CVSS 3.0CRITICAL 9.8
  • TI-2016-01176 The pcre_compile2 function in pcre_compile.c in PCRE 8.38 mishandles the… CVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
  • TI-2015-06911 The pcre_compile function in pcre_compile.c in PCRE before 8.38 mishandles certain [… CVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
  • TI-2015-04255 Heap-based buffer overflow in the find_fixedlength function in pcre_compile.c in PCRE… CVSS 3.0CRITICAL 9.1
See all 32 →

Sources

This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences