cscope: buffer overflows [LWN.net]

Package(s):

cscope

CVE #(s):

CVE-2004-2541

Created:

May 22, 2006

Updated:

June 19, 2009

Description:

A buffer overflow in Cscope 15.5, and possibly multiple overflows, allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a C file with a long #include line that is later browsed by the target.

Alerts:

CentOS	CESA-2009:1102	2009-06-19
CentOS	CESA-2009:1101	2009-06-16
Red Hat	RHSA-2009:1102-01	2009-06-15
Red Hat	RHSA-2009:1101-01	2009-06-15
Gentoo	200606-10	2006-06-11
Debian	DSA-1064-1	2006-05-19

(Log in to post comments)

cscope: buffer overflows

Posted Jun 1, 2006 12:14 UTC (Thu) by jfj (guest, #37917) [Link]

Can we please stop treating every buffer overflow as a security threat?

This is a bug. A segmentation fault is a bug.

A segmentation fault is a denial of service when it brings down a server.
A buffer overflow is execution of arbitary code, when it can be trigerred with data from the network for which the use is not aware that is being processed. A buffer overflow in PNG which is used by mozilla *is* a serious security threat. A buffer overflow in cscope is merely a bug. cscope is a tool for developers who usually take a look at the C files they are going to process (and very possibly have compiled them before analysing with cscope). It's not like a mail will come "Hi! I have attached a C file. Please analyse it with cscope. Thank you, anonymous".