# CVE-2014-9659: Memory corruption in n/a

> Remote attackers can execute arbitrary code or cause denial of service via crafted OpenType fonts due to a stack-based buffer overflow in FreeType.

- **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:** 8 Feb 2015
- **Updated:** 6 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2014-9659, GHSA-mhjx-8fg8-xcp5, UBUNTU-CVE-2014-9659

## What is CVE-2014-9659?

CVE-2014-9659 is a high-severity memory corruption vulnerability in Canonical Ubuntu Linux, published on 8 Feb 2015. 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

cff/cf2intrp.c in the CFF CharString interpreter in FreeType before 2.5.4 proceeds with additional hints after the hint mask has been computed, which allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service (stack-based buffer overflow) via a crafted OpenType font.  NOTE: this vulnerability exists because of an incomplete fix for CVE-2014-2240.

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

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2014-9659?

It affects 5 products.


Products: Canonical Ubuntu Linux, Fedoraproject Fedora, Freetype Freetype, Opensuse Opensuse, Oracle Solaris.

## How do I fix CVE-2014-9659?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

## Is CVE-2014-9659 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2014-9659 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Canonical Ubuntu Linux

- [CVE-2020-11651](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-11651/): SaltStack Salt Authentication Bypass (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2020-7247](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-7247/): OpenSMTPD Remote Code Execution (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2019-16928](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-16928/): Exim Out-of-bounds Write (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2018-6789](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-6789/): Exim Buffer Overflow (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2015-2590](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2015-2590/): Oracle Java SE and Java SE Embedded Remote Code Execution (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2014-9659 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2014-9659 is a high-severity memory corruption vulnerability in Canonical Ubuntu Linux, published on 8 Feb 2015. 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-2014-9659 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Canonical Ubuntu Linux. 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-2014-9659/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2014-9659/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2014-9659
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2014-9659
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2014-9659

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2014-9659/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.