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TI-2012-02936 Aliases CVE-2012-3406GHSA-8mj9-m673-h2gf

The vfprintf function in stdio-common/vfprintf.c in GNU C Library (aka glibc) 2.5, 2.12…

Priority LOW 36CWE-264Published · Updated

Key facts

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

Attack profile from CVSS 2.0 · NVD. Fix status from CNA and Red Hat. Impact type from CWE-264.

Summary

The vfprintf function in stdio-common/vfprintf.c in GNU C Library (aka glibc) 2.5, 2.12, and probably other versions does not "properly restrict the use of" the alloca function when allocating the SPECS array, which allows context-dependent attackers to bypass the FORTIFY_SOURCE format-string protection mechanism and cause a denial of service (crash) or possibly execute arbitrary code via a crafted format string using positional parameters and a large number of format specifiers, a different vulnerability than CVE-2012-3404 and CVE-2012-3405.

Why it matters now

EPSS 0.03163 88th 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 · 10

CPEVersionsRoleVendor
cpe:2.3:a:gnu:glibc:2.5:*:*:*:*:*:*:*2.5VulnerableGNU
cpe:2.3:a:gnu:glibc:2.12:*:*:*:*:*:*:*2.12VulnerableGNU
cpe:2.3:a:redhat:enterprise_virtualization:3.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*3.0VulnerableRed Hat
cpe:2.3:o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:8.04:-:lts:*:*:*:*:*8.04VulnerableCanonical
cpe:2.3:o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:10.04:-:lts:*:*:*:*:*10.04VulnerableCanonical
cpe:2.3:o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:11.04:*:*:*:*:*:*:*11.04VulnerableCanonical
cpe:2.3:o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:11.10:*:*:*:*:*:*:*11.10VulnerableCanonical
cpe:2.3:o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:12.04:-:lts:*:*:*:*:*12.04VulnerableCanonical
cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux:5:*:*:*:*:*:*:*5VulnerableRed Hat
cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux:6.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*6.0VulnerableRed Hat
  • cpe:2.3:a:gnu:glibc:2.5:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 2.5 Vulnerable ·GNU
  • cpe:2.3:a:gnu:glibc:2.12:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 2.12 Vulnerable ·GNU
  • cpe:2.3:a:redhat:enterprise_virtualization:3.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 3.0 Vulnerable ·Red Hat
  • cpe:2.3:o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:8.04:-:lts:*:*:*:*:* Versions 8.04 Vulnerable ·Canonical
  • cpe:2.3:o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:10.04:-:lts:*:*:*:*:* Versions 10.04 Vulnerable ·Canonical
  • cpe:2.3:o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:11.04:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 11.04 Vulnerable ·Canonical
  • cpe:2.3:o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:11.10:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 11.10 Vulnerable ·Canonical
  • cpe:2.3:o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:12.04:-:lts:*:*:*:*:* Versions 12.04 Vulnerable ·Canonical
  • cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux:5:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 5 Vulnerable ·Red Hat
  • cpe:2.3:o:redhat:enterprise_linux:6.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.0 Vulnerable ·Red Hat

Remediation

Red Hat 3 advisories

  • RHSA-2012:1200 Released 2012-08-23 · Red Hat rating Moderate
    rhev-hypervisor6 security and bug fix update
    • RHEV Hypervisor for RHEL-6 rhev-hypervisor6-6.3-20120815.0.el6_3
  • RHSA-2012:1097 Released 2012-07-18 · Red Hat rating Moderate
    glibc security and bug fix update
    • Red Hat Enterprise Linux (v. 5 server) glibc-2.5-81.el5_8.4, glibc-2.5-81.el5_8.4.i386, glibc-2.5-81.el5_8.4.ia64 +21
    • Red Hat Enterprise Linux Desktop (v. 5 client) glibc-2.5-81.el5_8.4, glibc-2.5-81.el5_8.4.i386, glibc-common-2.5-81.el5_8.4 +9
  • RHSA-2012:1098 Released 2012-07-18 · Red Hat rating Moderate
    glibc security and bug fix update
    • Red Hat Enterprise Linux Desktop (v. 6) glibc-2.12-1.80.el6_3.3, glibc-common-2.12-1.80.el6_3.3, glibc-devel-2.12-1.80.el6_3.3 +3
    • Red Hat Enterprise Linux Desktop Optional (v. 6) glibc-2.12-1.80.el6_3.3, glibc-static-2.12-1.80.el6_3.3
    • Red Hat Enterprise Linux HPC Node (v. 6) glibc-2.12-1.80.el6_3.3, glibc-common-2.12-1.80.el6_3.3, glibc-devel-2.12-1.80.el6_3.3 +3
    • Red Hat Enterprise Linux HPC Node Optional (v. 6) glibc-2.12-1.80.el6_3.3, glibc-static-2.12-1.80.el6_3.3
    • Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server (v. 6) glibc-2.12-1.80.el6_3.3, glibc-2.12-1.80.el6_3.3.ppc, glibc-common-2.12-1.80.el6_3.3 +5
    • Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server Optional (v. 6) glibc-2.12-1.80.el6_3.3, glibc-static-2.12-1.80.el6_3.3, glibc-static-2.12-1.80.el6_3.3.ppc
    • Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation (v. 6) glibc-2.12-1.80.el6_3.3, glibc-common-2.12-1.80.el6_3.3, glibc-devel-2.12-1.80.el6_3.3 +3
    • Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation Optional (v. 6) glibc-2.12-1.80.el6_3.3, glibc-static-2.12-1.80.el6_3.3

Vendor assessments

Red Hat

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

ProductStatusPlan or fix
RHEV Hypervisor for RHEL-6Fixed RHSA-2012:1200
Red Hat Enterprise Linux (v. 5 server)Fixed RHSA-2012:1097
Red Hat Enterprise Linux Desktop (v. 5 client)Fixed RHSA-2012:1097
Red Hat Enterprise Linux Desktop (v. 6)Fixed RHSA-2012:1098
Red Hat Enterprise Linux Desktop Optional (v. 6)Fixed RHSA-2012:1098
Red Hat Enterprise Linux HPC Node (v. 6)Fixed RHSA-2012:1098
Red Hat Enterprise Linux HPC Node Optional (v. 6)Fixed RHSA-2012:1098
Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server (v. 6)Fixed RHSA-2012:1098
Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server Optional (v. 6)Fixed RHSA-2012:1098
Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation (v. 6)Fixed RHSA-2012:1098
Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation Optional (v. 6)Fixed RHSA-2012:1098

Timeline

  1. 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2012-3406
  2. 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-8mj9-m673-h2gf

References

Advisory 6

Other 3

Sources

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