# CVE-2015-1802: Memory corruption in n/a

> Remote authenticated users can trigger out-of-bounds writes in libXfont via malicious BDF files, leading to crashes or arbitrary code execution.

- **Severity:** High 8.5 (`AV:N/AC:M/Au:S/C:C/I:C/A:C`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 20 Mar 2015
- **Updated:** 6 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2015-1802, GHSA-f3m3-9rj4-h5hq, UBUNTU-CVE-2015-1802

## What is CVE-2015-1802?

CVE-2015-1802 is a high-severity memory corruption vulnerability in n/a, published on 20 Mar 2015. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

The bdfReadProperties function in bitmap/bdfread.c in X.Org libXfont before 1.4.9 and 1.5.x before 1.5.1 allows remote authenticated users to cause a denial of service (out-of-bounds write and crash) or possibly execute arbitrary code via a (1) negative or (2) large property count in a BDF font file.

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

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2015-1802?

It affects 1 product.


Products: X Libxfont.

## How do I fix CVE-2015-1802?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

## Is CVE-2015-1802 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2015-1802 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in n/a

- [CVE-2007-5199](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2007-5199/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2013-6462](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2013-6462/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 9.3)
- [CVE-2026-56001](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-56001/): libXfont2 BitmapScaleBitmaps Integer Overflow Heap Buffer Overflow (high 8.5)
- [CVE-2026-56002](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-56002/): libXfont2 PCF Font Parsing Heap Buffer Overflow (high 8.5)
- [CVE-2026-56003](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-56003/): libXfont2 computeProps Property Buffer Heap Buffer Overflow (high 8.5)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2015-1802 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2015-1802 is a high-severity memory corruption vulnerability in n/a, published on 20 Mar 2015. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2015-1802 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-2015-1802/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2015-1802/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2015-1802
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2015-1802
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2015-1802

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2015-1802/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.