# CVE-2006-6169: Memory corruption in n/a

> Heap-based buffer overflow in GnuPG allows arbitrary code execution via crafted messages with C-escape expansions during interactive use.

- **Severity:** Medium 6.8 (`AV:N/AC:M/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:** 29 Nov 2006
- **Updated:** 7 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2006-6169, GHSA-5xr2-gxmf-xc8r

## What is CVE-2006-6169?

CVE-2006-6169 is a medium-severity memory corruption vulnerability in n/a, published on 29 Nov 2006. 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

Heap-based buffer overflow in the ask_outfile_name function in openfile.c for GnuPG (gpg) 1.4 and 2.0, when running interactively, might allow attackers to execute arbitrary code via messages with "C-escape" expansions, which cause the make_printable_string function to return a longer string than expected while constructing a prompt.

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2006-6169?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Gnupg Gnupg.

## How do I fix CVE-2006-6169?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

## Is CVE-2006-6169 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2006-6169 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in n/a

- [CVE-2022-3515](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-3515/): Integer overflow in libksba (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2008-1530](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2008-1530/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 9.3)
- [CVE-2026-24882](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-24882/): Memory corruption in GnuPG (high 8.4)
- [CVE-2026-24881](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-24881/): Memory corruption in GnuPG (high 8.1)
- [CVE-2025-68973](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-68973/): Memory corruption in GnuPG (high 7.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2006-6169 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2006-6169 is a medium-severity memory corruption vulnerability in n/a, published on 29 Nov 2006. 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-2006-6169 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-2006-6169/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2006-6169/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2006-6169
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2006-6169
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2006-6169

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2006-6169/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.