Read the docs
TI-2015-01620 Aliases CVE-2015-1803GHSA-7vwv-c4f9-4xwx

The bdfReadCharacters function in bitmap/bdfread.c in X.Org libXfont before 1.4.9 and…

Priority MEDIUM 45Published · Updated

Key facts

Attack vector
Network
Privileges required
Low
User interaction
— Not recorded in CVSS 2.0
Attack complexity
Medium
Impact type
—
Confidentiality · integrity · availability
Complete · Complete · Complete
Fix status
Partial Red Hat: 16 fixed, 1 without a fix

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

Summary

The bdfReadCharacters function in bitmap/bdfread.c in X.Org libXfont before 1.4.9 and 1.5.x before 1.5.1 does not properly handle character bitmaps it cannot read, which allows remote authenticated users to cause a denial of service (NULL pointer dereference and crash) and possibly execute arbitrary code via a crafted BDF font file.

Why it matters now

EPSS 0.04886 92nd percentileScored 2026-11-07
Fix Partial Red Hat: 1 advisoryRed Hat: 16 fixed, 1 without a fix

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 · 7

CPEVersionsRoleVendor
cpe:2.3:o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:10.04:*:*:*:lts:*:*:*10.04VulnerableCanonical
cpe:2.3:o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:12.04:*:*:*:lts:*:*:*12.04VulnerableCanonical
cpe:2.3:o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:14.04:*:*:*:lts:*:*:*14.04VulnerableCanonical
cpe:2.3:o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:14.10:*:*:*:*:*:*:*14.10VulnerableCanonical
cpe:2.3:o:debian:debian_linux:7.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*7.0VulnerableDebian
cpe:2.3:a:x:libxfont:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*up to 1.4.8VulnerableX
cpe:2.3:a:x:libxfont:1.5.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*1.5.0VulnerableX
  • cpe:2.3:o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:10.04:*:*:*:lts:*:*:* Versions 10.04 Vulnerable ·Canonical
  • cpe:2.3:o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:12.04:*:*:*:lts:*:*:* Versions 12.04 Vulnerable ·Canonical
  • cpe:2.3:o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:14.04:*:*:*:lts:*:*:* Versions 14.04 Vulnerable ·Canonical
  • cpe:2.3:o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:14.10:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 14.10 Vulnerable ·Canonical
  • cpe:2.3:o:debian:debian_linux:7.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 7.0 Vulnerable ·Debian
  • cpe:2.3:a:x:libxfont:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions up to 1.4.8 Vulnerable ·X
  • cpe:2.3:a:x:libxfont:1.5.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 1.5.0 Vulnerable ·X

Remediation

Red Hat 1 advisory

  • RHSA-2015:1708 Released 2015-09-03 · Red Hat rating Important
    libXfont security update
    • Red Hat Enterprise Linux Client (v. 7) libXfont-1.4.7-3.el7_1
    • Red Hat Enterprise Linux Client Optional (v. 7) libXfont-devel-1.4.7-3.el7_1
    • Red Hat Enterprise Linux ComputeNode (v. 7) libXfont-1.4.7-3.el7_1
    • Red Hat Enterprise Linux ComputeNode Optional (v. 7) libXfont-devel-1.4.7-3.el7_1
    • Red Hat Enterprise Linux Desktop (v. 6) libXfont-1.4.5-5.el6_7
    • Red Hat Enterprise Linux Desktop Optional (v. 6) libXfont-1.4.5-5.el6_7, libXfont-devel-1.4.5-5.el6_7
    • Red Hat Enterprise Linux HPC Node (v. 6) libXfont-1.4.5-5.el6_7
    • Red Hat Enterprise Linux HPC Node Optional (v. 6) libXfont-1.4.5-5.el6_7, libXfont-devel-1.4.5-5.el6_7
    • Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server (v. 6) libXfont-1.4.5-5.el6_7
    • Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server (v. 7) libXfont-1.4.7-3.ael7b_1, libXfont-1.4.7-3.el7_1, libXfont-1.4.7-3.el7_1.ppc
    • Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server Optional (v. 6) libXfont-1.4.5-5.el6_7, libXfont-1.4.5-5.el6_7.ppc, libXfont-devel-1.4.5-5.el6_7 +1
    • Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server Optional (v. 7) libXfont-devel-1.4.7-3.ael7b_1, libXfont-devel-1.4.7-3.el7_1, libXfont-devel-1.4.7-3.el7_1.ppc
    • Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation (v. 6) libXfont-1.4.5-5.el6_7
    • Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation (v. 7) libXfont-1.4.7-3.el7_1
    • Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation Optional (v. 6) libXfont-1.4.5-5.el6_7, libXfont-devel-1.4.5-5.el6_7
    • Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation Optional (v. 7) libXfont-devel-1.4.7-3.el7_1

Vendor assessments

Red Hat

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

ProductStatusPlan or fix
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5AffectedNo fix yet
Red Hat Enterprise Linux Client (v. 7)Fixed RHSA-2015:1708
Red Hat Enterprise Linux Client Optional (v. 7)Fixed RHSA-2015:1708
Red Hat Enterprise Linux ComputeNode (v. 7)Fixed RHSA-2015:1708
Red Hat Enterprise Linux ComputeNode Optional (v. 7)Fixed RHSA-2015:1708
Red Hat Enterprise Linux Desktop (v. 6)Fixed RHSA-2015:1708
Red Hat Enterprise Linux Desktop Optional (v. 6)Fixed RHSA-2015:1708
Red Hat Enterprise Linux HPC Node (v. 6)Fixed RHSA-2015:1708
Red Hat Enterprise Linux HPC Node Optional (v. 6)Fixed RHSA-2015:1708
Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server (v. 6)Fixed RHSA-2015:1708
Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server (v. 7)Fixed RHSA-2015:1708
Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server Optional (v. 6)Fixed RHSA-2015:1708
Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server Optional (v. 7)Fixed RHSA-2015:1708
Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation (v. 6)Fixed RHSA-2015:1708
Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation (v. 7)Fixed RHSA-2015:1708
Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation Optional (v. 6)Fixed RHSA-2015:1708
Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation Optional (v. 7)Fixed RHSA-2015:1708

Timeline

  1. 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2015-1803
  2. 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-7vwv-c4f9-4xwx

References

Sources