# CVE-2011-3170: Memory corruption in n/a

> Remote attackers can execute arbitrary code via a crafted GIF image due to a heap-based buffer overflow in CUPS.

- **Severity:** Medium 5.1 (`AV:N/AC:H/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:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 19 Aug 2011
- **Updated:** 6 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2011-3170, GHSA-gq38-xj7p-vcm8, UBUNTU-CVE-2011-3170

## What is CVE-2011-3170?

CVE-2011-3170 is a medium-severity memory corruption vulnerability in Apple Cups, published on 19 Aug 2011. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

The gif_read_lzw function in filter/image-gif.c in CUPS 1.4.8 and earlier does not properly handle the first code word in an LZW stream, which allows remote attackers to trigger a heap-based buffer overflow, and possibly execute arbitrary code, via a crafted stream, a different vulnerability than CVE-2011-2896.

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

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2011-3170?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Apple Cups.

## How do I fix CVE-2011-3170?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

## Is CVE-2011-3170 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2011-3170 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Apple Cups

- [CVE-2008-5184](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2008-5184/): Cross-site request forgery in n/a (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2008-3641](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2008-3641/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2008-0053](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2008-0053/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2012-6094](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2012-6094/): Missing authorization in cups (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2010-2941](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2010-2941/): Use after free in n/a (critical 9.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2011-3170 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2011-3170 is a medium-severity memory corruption vulnerability in Apple Cups, published on 19 Aug 2011. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2011-3170 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Apple Cups. 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-2011-3170/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2011-3170/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2011-3170
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2011-3170
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2011-3170

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2011-3170/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.