# CVE-2005-4268: Memory corruption in n/a

> Local attackers can trigger a buffer overflow in cpio when archiving files with large size representations, potentially causing crashes or executing arbitrary code.

- **Severity:** Low 3.7 (`AV:L/AC:H/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 15 Dec 2005
- **Updated:** 7 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2005-4268, GHSA-gf47-4488-9gh6, RHSA-2007:0245

## What is CVE-2005-4268?

CVE-2005-4268 is a low-severity memory corruption vulnerability in n/a, published on 15 Dec 2005. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

Buffer overflow in cpio 2.6-8.FC4 on 64-bit platforms, when creating a cpio archive, allows local users to cause a denial of service (crash) and possibly execute arbitrary code via a file whose size is represented by more than 8 digits.

Weakness: CWE-119 (Improper Restriction of Operations within the Bounds of a Memory Buffer)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2005-4268?

It affects 1 product.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `cpio` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:4::as | All versions | 0:2.5-13.RHEL4 |
| `cpio-debuginfo` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:4::as | All versions | 0:2.5-13.RHEL4 |
| `cpio` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:4::desktop | All versions | 0:2.5-13.RHEL4 |
| `cpio-debuginfo` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:4::desktop | All versions | 0:2.5-13.RHEL4 |
| `cpio` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:4::es | All versions | 0:2.5-13.RHEL4 |
| `cpio-debuginfo` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:4::es | All versions | 0:2.5-13.RHEL4 |
| `cpio` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:4::ws | All versions | 0:2.5-13.RHEL4 |
| `cpio-debuginfo` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:4::ws | All versions | 0:2.5-13.RHEL4 |

Products: Gnu Cpio.

## How do I fix CVE-2005-4268?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2005-4268 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2005-4268 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in n/a

- [CVE-2021-38185](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-38185/): Integer overflow in n/a (high 7.8)
- [CVE-2010-4226](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2010-4226/): Path traversal in n/a (high 7.2)
- [CVE-2010-0624](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2010-0624/): Memory corruption in n/a (medium 6.8)
- [CVE-2019-14866](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-14866/): Path traversal in cpio (medium 6.7)
- [CVE-2023-7216](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-7216/): Cpio: extraction allows symlinks which enables remote command execution (medium 5.3)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2005-4268 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2005-4268 is a low-severity memory corruption vulnerability in n/a, published on 15 Dec 2005. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2005-4268 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-2005-4268/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2005-4268/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2005-4268
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2005-4268
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2005-4268

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2005-4268/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.