# CVE-2017-2640: Memory corruption in pidgin

> A malicious server can trigger an out-of-bounds write in Pidgin, leading to arbitrary code execution or application crashes.

- **Severity:** High 7.5 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **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:** ALPINE-CVE-2017-2640, DEBIAN-CVE-2017-2640, DLA-853-1, DSA-3806-1, GHSA-556c-qpr9-626c, MGASA-2017-0102, SUSE-SU-2018:2235-1, UBUNTU-CVE-2017-2640, USN-3231-1

## What is CVE-2017-2640?

CVE-2017-2640 is a high-severity memory corruption vulnerability in Debian Debian Linux, published on 27 Jul 2018. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

An out-of-bounds write flaw was found in the way Pidgin before 2.12.0 processed XML content. A malicious remote server could potentially use this flaw to crash Pidgin or execute arbitrary code in the context of the pidgin process.

Weakness: CWE-787 (Out-of-bounds Write)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2017-2640?

It affects 7 products.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `pidgin` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Software Development Kit 11 SP4 | All versions | 2.6.6-0.30.3.1 |

Products: Debian Debian Linux, Pidgin Pidgin, 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-2017-2640?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

## Is CVE-2017-2640 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2017-2640 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Debian Debian Linux

- [CVE-2015-3306](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2015-3306/): ProFTPD Improper Access Control (critical 10.0, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2025-49113](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-49113/): RoundCube Webmail Deserialization of Untrusted Data (critical 9.9, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2026-24061](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-24061/): GNU InetUtils Argument Injection (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2025-39682](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-39682/): Linux Kernel Improper Check for Unusual or Exceptional Conditions (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2024-9680](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-9680/): Mozilla Firefox Use-After-Free (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2017-2640 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2017-2640 is a high-severity memory corruption vulnerability in Debian Debian Linux, published on 27 Jul 2018. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2017-2640 in the wild and no public exploit code.

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-2017-2640/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-2640/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2017-2640
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2017-2640
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2017-2640

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-2640/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.