# CVE-2015-3214: Memory corruption in n/a

> Guest OS users can execute arbitrary code on the host by exploiting an index error in the i8254 timer emulation.

- **Severity:** Medium 6.9 (`AV:L/AC:M/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 31 Aug 2015
- **Updated:** 6 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2015-3214, GHSA-7g3q-j68f-2fw5, UBUNTU-CVE-2015-3214

## What is CVE-2015-3214?

CVE-2015-3214 is a medium-severity memory corruption vulnerability in Debian Debian Linux, published on 31 Aug 2015. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

The pit_ioport_read in i8254.c in the Linux kernel before 2.6.33 and QEMU before 2.3.1 does not distinguish between read lengths and write lengths, which might allow guest OS users to execute arbitrary code on the host OS by triggering use of an invalid index.

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

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2015-3214?

It affects 19 products.


Products: Arista Eos, Debian Debian Linux, Lenovo Emc Px12-400r Ivx, Lenovo Emc Px12-450r Ivx, Linux kernel, Qemu Qemu, Redhat Enterprise Linux Compute Node Eus, Redhat Enterprise Linux for Power Big Endian, Redhat Enterprise Linux for Power Big Endian Eus, Redhat Enterprise Linux for Scientific Computing, Redhat Enterprise Linux Server, Redhat Enterprise Linux Server Aus, Redhat Enterprise Linux Server Eus, Redhat Enterprise Linux Server From Rhui, Redhat Enterprise Linux Server Tus, Redhat Enterprise Linux Server Update Services for Sap Solutions, Redhat Enterprise Linux Workstation, Redhat Openstack, Redhat Virtualization.

## How do I fix CVE-2015-3214?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

## Is CVE-2015-3214 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2015-3214 exists.

Public exploit code:

- QEMU - Programmable Interrupt Timer Controller Heap Overflow (exploitdb)

## Other vulnerabilities in Debian Debian Linux

- [CVE-2026-7473](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-7473/): Arista Extensible Operating System Incomplete Comparison with Missing Factors (medium 6.9, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2015-8236](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2015-8236/): Privilege escalation in n/a (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2020-10188](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-10188/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2017-18017](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-18017/): Use after free in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2017-14491](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-14491/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 9.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2015-3214 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2015-3214 is a medium-severity memory corruption vulnerability in Debian Debian Linux, published on 31 Aug 2015. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2015-3214 exists.

Affected product: Debian Debian 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-2015-3214/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2015-3214/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2015-3214
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2015-3214
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2015-3214

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2015-3214/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.