# CVE-2014-8625: Memory corruption in n/a

> Remote attackers can cause crashes or execute arbitrary code via format string vulnerabilities in dpkg's error message parsing.

- **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:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 20 Jan 2015
- **Updated:** 6 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2014-8625, GHSA-rg28-4v7w-vh73, UBUNTU-CVE-2014-8625

## What is CVE-2014-8625?

CVE-2014-8625 is a medium-severity memory corruption vulnerability in n/a, published on 20 Jan 2015. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Multiple format string vulnerabilities in the parse_error_msg function in parsehelp.c in dpkg before 1.17.22 allow remote attackers to cause a denial of service (crash) and possibly execute arbitrary code via format string specifiers in the (1) package or (2) architecture name.

Weakness: CWE-134 (Use of Externally-Controlled Format String)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2014-8625?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Debian Dpkg.

## How do I fix CVE-2014-8625?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

## Is CVE-2014-8625 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2014-8625 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in n/a

- [CVE-2017-8283](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-8283/): Path traversal in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2025-6297](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-6297/): dpkg-deb: Fix cleanup for control member with restricted directories (high 8.2)
- [CVE-2026-2219](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-2219/): Denial of service in dpkg (high 7.5)
- [CVE-2004-2768](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2004-2768/): Privilege escalation in n/a (high 7.2)
- [CVE-2014-3127](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2014-3127/): Path traversal in n/a (high 7.1)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2014-8625 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2014-8625 is a medium-severity memory corruption vulnerability in n/a, published on 20 Jan 2015. 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-2014-8625 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-2014-8625/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2014-8625/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2014-8625
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2014-8625
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2014-8625

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2014-8625/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.