# CVE-2018-3847: Memory corruption in CFITSIO

> A stack-based buffer overflow in the CFITSIO library allows attackers to execute arbitrary code via specially crafted FIT images.

- **Severity:** High 8.8 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:N/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:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 1 Aug 2018
- **Updated:** 17 Sep 2024
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2018-3847, GHSA-962f-cm8q-5q3r, UBUNTU-CVE-2018-3847

## What is CVE-2018-3847?

CVE-2018-3847 is a high-severity memory corruption vulnerability in NASA CFITSIO, published on 1 Aug 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

Multiple exploitable buffer overflow vulnerabilities exist in image parsing functionality of the CFITSIO library version 3.42. Specially crafted images parsed via the library, can cause a stack-based buffer overflow overwriting arbitrary data. An attacker can deliver an FIT image to trigger this vulnerability and potentially gain code execution.

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

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2018-3847?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Nasa Cfitsio.

## How do I fix CVE-2018-3847?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

## Is CVE-2018-3847 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2018-3847 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in NASA CFITSIO

- [CVE-2019-1010060](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-1010060/): Memory corruption in CFITSIO (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2026-111124](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-111124/): CFITSIO through 4.7.0 Heap Out-of-Bounds Read via Negative ZDITHER0 Seed (medium 6.9)
- [CVE-2026-111125](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-111125/): CFITSIO through 4.7.0 Heap Out-of-Bounds Read via HCOMPRESS input_nnybble (medium 6.9)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2018-3847 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2018-3847 is a high-severity memory corruption vulnerability in NASA CFITSIO, published on 1 Aug 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-2018-3847 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: NASA CFITSIO. 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-2018-3847/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-3847/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2018-3847
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2018-3847
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2018-3847

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-3847/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.