# CVE-2017-2635: Null dereference in libvirt

> A remote authenticated attacker can crash the libvirtd daemon by triggering a NULL pointer dereference, causing a denial of service.

- **Severity:** High 7.7 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:N/A:H`)
- **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:** 22 Aug 2018
- **Updated:** 5 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2017-2635, GHSA-6wgv-m454-22mq

## What is CVE-2017-2635?

CVE-2017-2635 is a high-severity vulnerability in Redhat Libvirt, published on 22 Aug 2018. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

A NULL pointer deference flaw was found in the way libvirt from 2.5.0 to 3.0.0 handled empty drives. A remote authenticated attacker could use this flaw to crash libvirtd daemon resulting in denial of service.

Weakness: CWE-476 (NULL Pointer Dereference)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2017-2635?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Redhat Libvirt.

## How do I fix CVE-2017-2635?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

## Is CVE-2017-2635 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2017-2635 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Redhat Libvirt

- [CVE-2013-4401](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2013-4401/): Missing authorization in n/a (high 8.5)
- [CVE-2013-4400](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2013-4400/): Privilege escalation in n/a (high 7.2)
- [CVE-2013-4291](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2013-4291/): Privilege escalation in n/a (medium 6.9)
- [CVE-2011-1146](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2011-1146/): Missing authorization in n/a (medium 6.9)
- [CVE-2013-6458](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2013-6458/): Race condition in n/a (medium 6.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2017-2635 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2017-2635 is a high-severity vulnerability in Redhat Libvirt, published on 22 Aug 2018. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2017-2635 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Redhat Libvirt. 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-2017-2635/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-2635/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2017-2635
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2017-2635
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2017-2635

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-2635/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.