# CVE-2017-12374: Use after free in ClamAV AntiVirus software versions 0.99.2 and prior

> Remote attackers can cause a denial of service in ClamAV via a use-after-free vulnerability in mail parsing operations.

- **Severity:** High 7.5 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 26 Jan 2018
- **Updated:** 2 Dec 2024
- **Also known as:** ALPINE-CVE-2017-12374, CLEANSTART-2026-HP92554, DEBIAN-CVE-2017-12374, GHSA-83mc-pmqp-53x3, UBUNTU-CVE-2017-12374

## What is CVE-2017-12374?

CVE-2017-12374 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Clamav Clamav, published on 26 Jan 2018. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

The ClamAV AntiVirus software versions 0.99.2 and prior contain a vulnerability that could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to cause a denial of service (DoS) condition on an affected device. The vulnerability is due to a lack of input validation checking mechanisms during certain mail parsing operations (mbox.c operations on bounce messages). If successfully exploited, the ClamAV software could allow a variable pointing to the mail body which could cause a used after being free (use-after-free) instance which may lead to a disruption of services on an affected device to include a denial of service condition.

Weakness: CWE-416 (Use After Free)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2017-12374?

It affects 2 products.


Products: Clamav Clamav, Debian Debian Linux.

## How do I fix CVE-2017-12374?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

## Is CVE-2017-12374 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2017-12374 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Clamav Clamav

- [CVE-2010-0098](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2010-0098/): Security feature bypass in n/a (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2009-1372](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2009-1372/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2008-3914](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2008-3914/): Denial of service in n/a (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2008-0728](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2008-0728/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2006-1615](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2006-1615/): Other in n/a (critical 10.0)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2017-12374 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2017-12374 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Clamav Clamav, published on 26 Jan 2018. 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-2017-12374 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Clamav Clamav. 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-2017-12374/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-12374/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2017-12374
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2017-12374
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2017-12374

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-12374/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.