# CVE-2017-15101: Memory corruption in liblouis

> A stack-based buffer overflow in liblouis allows attackers to cause denial of service or execute arbitrary code.

- **Severity:** High 7.8 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 27 Jul 2018
- **Updated:** 5 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-hxf5-6w8g-jf87, RHSA-2017:3384, UBUNTU-CVE-2017-15101

## What is CVE-2017-15101?

CVE-2017-15101 is a high-severity memory corruption vulnerability in Redhat Enterprise Linux Desktop, published on 27 Jul 2018. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

A missing patch for a stack-based buffer overflow in findTable() was found in Red Hat version of liblouis before 2.5.4. An attacker could cause a denial of service condition or potentially even arbitrary code execution.

Weakness: CWE-119 (Improper Restriction of Operations within the Bounds of a Memory Buffer), CWE-121 (Stack-based Buffer Overflow)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2017-15101?

It affects 6 products.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `liblouis` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | All versions | 0:2.5.2-12.el7_4 |
| `liblouis-debuginfo` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | All versions | 0:2.5.2-12.el7_4 |
| `liblouis-devel` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | All versions | 0:2.5.2-12.el7_4 |
| `liblouis-doc` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | All versions | 0:2.5.2-12.el7_4 |
| `liblouis-python` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | All versions | 0:2.5.2-12.el7_4 |
| `liblouis-utils` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | All versions | 0:2.5.2-12.el7_4 |
| `liblouis` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::server | All versions | 0:2.5.2-12.el7_4 |
| `liblouis-debuginfo` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::server | All versions | 0:2.5.2-12.el7_4 |
| `liblouis-devel` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::server | All versions | 0:2.5.2-12.el7_4 |
| `liblouis-doc` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::server | All versions | 0:2.5.2-12.el7_4 |
| `liblouis-python` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::server | All versions | 0:2.5.2-12.el7_4 |
| `liblouis-utils` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::server | All versions | 0:2.5.2-12.el7_4 |
| `liblouis` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::workstation | All versions | 0:2.5.2-12.el7_4 |
| `liblouis-debuginfo` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::workstation | All versions | 0:2.5.2-12.el7_4 |
| `liblouis-devel` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::workstation | All versions | 0:2.5.2-12.el7_4 |
| `liblouis-doc` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::workstation | All versions | 0:2.5.2-12.el7_4 |
| `liblouis-python` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::workstation | All versions | 0:2.5.2-12.el7_4 |
| `liblouis-utils` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::workstation | All versions | 0:2.5.2-12.el7_4 |

Products: Liblouis Liblouis, Redhat Enterprise Linux Desktop, Redhat Enterprise Linux Server, Redhat Enterprise Linux Server Aus, Redhat Enterprise Linux Server Eus, Redhat Enterprise Linux Workstation.

## How do I fix CVE-2017-15101?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

## Is CVE-2017-15101 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2017-15101 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Redhat Enterprise Linux Desktop

- [CVE-2017-13738](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-13738/): Memory corruption in n/a (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2017-13739](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-13739/): Memory corruption in n/a (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2017-13740](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-13740/): Memory corruption in n/a (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2014-8184](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2014-8184/): Memory corruption in liblouis (high 7.8)
- [CVE-2023-26767](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-26767/): Memory corruption in n/a (high 7.5)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2017-15101 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2017-15101 is a high-severity memory corruption vulnerability in Redhat Enterprise Linux Desktop, published on 27 Jul 2018. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2017-15101 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Redhat Enterprise Linux Desktop. 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-2017-15101/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-15101/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2017-15101
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2017-15101
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2017-15101

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-15101/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.