# CVE-2005-2096: Memory corruption in n/a

> Remote attackers can cause a denial of service via a crafted compressed stream leading to a buffer overflow in the zlib library.

- **Severity:** High 7.5 (`AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 6 Jul 2005
- **Updated:** 14 Jul 2026
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2005-2096, DSA-740-1, GHSA-w2qv-rhm9-97p2, RHSA-2005:569

## What is CVE-2005-2096?

CVE-2005-2096 is a high-severity memory corruption vulnerability in n/a, published on 6 Jul 2005. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

zlib 1.2 and later versions allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (crash) via a crafted compressed stream with an incomplete code description of a length greater than 1, which leads to a buffer overflow, as demonstrated using a crafted PNG file.

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2005-2096?

It affects 1 product.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `zlib` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:4::as | All versions | 0:1.2.1.2-1.1 |
| `zlib-debuginfo` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:4::as | All versions | 0:1.2.1.2-1.1 |
| `zlib-devel` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:4::as | All versions | 0:1.2.1.2-1.1 |
| `zlib` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:4::desktop | All versions | 0:1.2.1.2-1.1 |
| `zlib-debuginfo` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:4::desktop | All versions | 0:1.2.1.2-1.1 |
| `zlib-devel` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:4::desktop | All versions | 0:1.2.1.2-1.1 |
| `zlib` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:4::es | All versions | 0:1.2.1.2-1.1 |
| `zlib-debuginfo` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:4::es | All versions | 0:1.2.1.2-1.1 |
| `zlib-devel` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:4::es | All versions | 0:1.2.1.2-1.1 |
| `zlib` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:4::ws | All versions | 0:1.2.1.2-1.1 |
| `zlib-debuginfo` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:4::ws | All versions | 0:1.2.1.2-1.1 |
| `zlib-devel` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:4::ws | All versions | 0:1.2.1.2-1.1 |

Products: Zlib Zlib.

## How do I fix CVE-2005-2096?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

## Is CVE-2005-2096 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2005-2096 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in n/a

- [CVE-2002-0059](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2002-0059/): Use after free in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2003-0107](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2003-0107/): Memory corruption in n/a (high 7.5)
- [CVE-2005-1849](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2005-1849/): Denial of service in n/a (medium 5.0)
- [CVE-2026-22184](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-22184/): zlib <= 1.3.1.2 untgz Global Buffer Overflow in TGZfname() (medium 4.6)
- [CVE-2026-27171](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-27171/): Denial of service in zlib (low 2.9)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2005-2096 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2005-2096 is a high-severity memory corruption vulnerability in n/a, published on 6 Jul 2005. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2005-2096 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: n/a. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2005-2096/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2005-2096/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2005-2096
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2005-2096
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2005-2096

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2005-2096/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.