The PurpleCircBuffer implementation in Pidgin (formerly Gaim) before 2.5.6 does not…
Priority LOW 27CWE-119Published · Updated
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Network
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- — Not recorded in CVSS 2.0
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- Denial of service
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- None · None · Partial
- Fix status
- Fixed
Attack profile from CVSS 2.0 · NVD. Fix status from CNA and Red Hat. Impact type from CWE-119 and the CVSS impact.
Summary
The PurpleCircBuffer implementation in Pidgin (formerly Gaim) before 2.5.6 does not properly maintain a certain buffer, which allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (memory corruption and application crash) via vectors involving the (1) XMPP or (2) Sametime protocol.
Why it matters now
EPSS 0.02312 83rd percentileScored 2026-11-07
Fix Fixed Red Hat: 1 advisory
SSVC decision points
Not available: CISA has not published SSVC decision points for this record.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | — | all versions | — | No fix listed | CNA |
- — Vendor— Affected all versions Fixed in — No fix listed CNA
CPE configurations NVD · 21
| CPE | Versions | Role | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpe:2.3:a:pidgin:pidgin:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | up to 2.5.5 | Vulnerable | Pidgin |
| cpe:2.3:a:pidgin:pidgin:2.0.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 2.0.0 | Vulnerable | Pidgin |
| cpe:2.3:a:pidgin:pidgin:2.0.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 2.0.1 | Vulnerable | Pidgin |
| cpe:2.3:a:pidgin:pidgin:2.0.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 2.0.2 | Vulnerable | Pidgin |
| cpe:2.3:a:pidgin:pidgin:2.0.2:*:linux:*:*:*:*:* | 2.0.2 | Vulnerable | Pidgin |
| cpe:2.3:a:pidgin:pidgin:2.1.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 2.1.0 | Vulnerable | Pidgin |
| cpe:2.3:a:pidgin:pidgin:2.1.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 2.1.1 | Vulnerable | Pidgin |
| cpe:2.3:a:pidgin:pidgin:2.2.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 2.2.0 | Vulnerable | Pidgin |
| cpe:2.3:a:pidgin:pidgin:2.2.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 2.2.1 | Vulnerable | Pidgin |
| cpe:2.3:a:pidgin:pidgin:2.2.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 2.2.2 | Vulnerable | Pidgin |
- cpe:2.3:a:pidgin:pidgin:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions up to 2.5.5 Vulnerable ·Pidgin
- cpe:2.3:a:pidgin:pidgin:2.0.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 2.0.0 Vulnerable ·Pidgin
- cpe:2.3:a:pidgin:pidgin:2.0.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 2.0.1 Vulnerable ·Pidgin
- cpe:2.3:a:pidgin:pidgin:2.0.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 2.0.2 Vulnerable ·Pidgin
- cpe:2.3:a:pidgin:pidgin:2.0.2:*:linux:*:*:*:*:* Versions 2.0.2 Vulnerable ·Pidgin
- cpe:2.3:a:pidgin:pidgin:2.1.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 2.1.0 Vulnerable ·Pidgin
- cpe:2.3:a:pidgin:pidgin:2.1.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 2.1.1 Vulnerable ·Pidgin
- cpe:2.3:a:pidgin:pidgin:2.2.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 2.2.0 Vulnerable ·Pidgin
- cpe:2.3:a:pidgin:pidgin:2.2.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 2.2.1 Vulnerable ·Pidgin
- cpe:2.3:a:pidgin:pidgin:2.2.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 2.2.2 Vulnerable ·Pidgin
Show 11 more CPE
| CPE | Versions | Role | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpe:2.3:a:pidgin:pidgin:2.3.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 2.3.0 | Vulnerable | Pidgin |
| cpe:2.3:a:pidgin:pidgin:2.3.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 2.3.1 | Vulnerable | Pidgin |
| cpe:2.3:a:pidgin:pidgin:2.4.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 2.4.0 | Vulnerable | Pidgin |
| cpe:2.3:a:pidgin:pidgin:2.4.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 2.4.1 | Vulnerable | Pidgin |
| cpe:2.3:a:pidgin:pidgin:2.4.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 2.4.2 | Vulnerable | Pidgin |
| cpe:2.3:a:pidgin:pidgin:2.4.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 2.4.3 | Vulnerable | Pidgin |
| cpe:2.3:a:pidgin:pidgin:2.5.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 2.5.0 | Vulnerable | Pidgin |
| cpe:2.3:a:pidgin:pidgin:2.5.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 2.5.1 | Vulnerable | Pidgin |
| cpe:2.3:a:pidgin:pidgin:2.5.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 2.5.2 | Vulnerable | Pidgin |
| cpe:2.3:a:pidgin:pidgin:2.5.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 2.5.3 | Vulnerable | Pidgin |
| cpe:2.3:a:pidgin:pidgin:2.5.4:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 2.5.4 | Vulnerable | Pidgin |
- cpe:2.3:a:pidgin:pidgin:2.3.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 2.3.0 Vulnerable ·Pidgin
- cpe:2.3:a:pidgin:pidgin:2.3.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 2.3.1 Vulnerable ·Pidgin
- cpe:2.3:a:pidgin:pidgin:2.4.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 2.4.0 Vulnerable ·Pidgin
- cpe:2.3:a:pidgin:pidgin:2.4.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 2.4.1 Vulnerable ·Pidgin
- cpe:2.3:a:pidgin:pidgin:2.4.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 2.4.2 Vulnerable ·Pidgin
- cpe:2.3:a:pidgin:pidgin:2.4.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 2.4.3 Vulnerable ·Pidgin
- cpe:2.3:a:pidgin:pidgin:2.5.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 2.5.0 Vulnerable ·Pidgin
- cpe:2.3:a:pidgin:pidgin:2.5.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 2.5.1 Vulnerable ·Pidgin
- cpe:2.3:a:pidgin:pidgin:2.5.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 2.5.2 Vulnerable ·Pidgin
- cpe:2.3:a:pidgin:pidgin:2.5.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 2.5.3 Vulnerable ·Pidgin
- cpe:2.3:a:pidgin:pidgin:2.5.4:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 2.5.4 Vulnerable ·Pidgin
Remediation
Red Hat 1 advisory
- RHSA-2009:1060 Released 2009-05-22 · Red Hat rating Importantpidgin security update
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux AS version 4 finch-2.5.5-2.el4, finch-2.5.5-2.el4.i386, finch-2.5.5-2.el4.ia64 +33
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux Desktop (v. 5 client) finch-2.5.5-3.el5, finch-2.5.5-3.el5.i386, libpurple-2.5.5-3.el5 +9
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux Desktop Workstation (v. 5 client) finch-devel-2.5.5-3.el5, finch-devel-2.5.5-3.el5.i386, libpurple-devel-2.5.5-3.el5 +4
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux Desktop version 4 finch-2.5.5-2.el4, finch-2.5.5-2.el4.i386, finch-devel-2.5.5-2.el4 +15
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux ES version 4 finch-2.5.5-2.el4, finch-2.5.5-2.el4.i386, finch-2.5.5-2.el4.ia64 +24
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux WS version 4 finch-2.5.5-2.el4, finch-2.5.5-2.el4.i386, finch-2.5.5-2.el4.ia64 +24
Vendor assessments
Red Hat
Red Hat rating: Low. Red Hat's page for this CVE →
| Product | Status | Plan or fix |
|---|---|---|
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux AS version 4 | Fixed | RHSA-2009:1060 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux Desktop (v. 5 client) | Fixed | RHSA-2009:1060 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux Desktop Workstation (v. 5 client) | Fixed | RHSA-2009:1060 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux Desktop version 4 | Fixed | RHSA-2009:1060 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux ES version 4 | Fixed | RHSA-2009:1060 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux WS version 4 | Fixed | RHSA-2009:1060 |
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2009-1375
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-5p6v-j9j4-qvgx
References
More Pidgin vulnerabilities
- TI-2019-15597 Pidgin 2.13.0 Denial of Service via Malformed Username CVSS 4.0MEDIUM 6.9
- TI-2009-02576 The msn_slplink_process_msg function in libpurple/protocols/msn/slplink.c in libpurple… CVSS 2.0HIGH 10.0
- TI-2013-05439 The SIMPLE protocol functionality in Pidgin before 2.10.8 allows remote attackers to have… CVSS 2.0HIGH 10.0
- TI-2009-01309 Multiple integer overflows in the msn_slplink_process_msg functions in the MSN protocol… CVSS 2.0HIGH 9.3
- TI-2017-01890 Out-of-bounds write in pidgin CVSS 3.0CRITICAL 9.8
- TI-2011-02815 gtkutils.c in Pidgin before 2.10.0 on Windows allows user-assisted remote attackers to… CVSS 2.0HIGH 9.3
Sources
- CVE-2009-1375 · CVE Program
- CVE-2009-1375 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-5p6v-j9j4-qvgx · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2009-1375 · Red Hat security data · CC BY 4.0
This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences