CVE-2015-4042

Name: CVE-2015-4042
Creator: NVD / NIST
Published: 2020-01-24T17:15:12.577+00:00
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/

CRITICALCVSS 9.8/10EPSS 2.32%

Last modified Jun 17, 2026

CVE-2015-4042 is a critical-severity vulnerability rated 9.8/10 on the CVSS scale. Integer overflow in the keycompare_mb function in sort.c in sort in GNU Coreutils through 8.23 might allow attackers to cause a denial of service (application crash) or possibly have unspecified other impact via long strings.. EPSS estimates a 2.32% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days.

Description

Integer overflow in the keycompare_mb function in sort.c in sort in GNU Coreutils through 8.23 might allow attackers to cause a denial of service (application crash) or possibly have unspecified other impact via long strings.

Metrics

CVSS 3.1

9.8/10

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

EPSS Probability

2.32%

81.3th percentile

Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days. Learn more

Weakness Enumeration

CWE-190

Affected Software

Vendor	Product	Versions
Gnu	Coreutils	<= 8.23

References

http://openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2015/05/15/1Exploit, Mailing List, Patch, Third Party Advisory
https://github.com/pixelb/coreutils/commit/bea5e36cc876ed627bb5e0eca36fdfaa6465e940Patch, Third Party Advisory
http://openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2015/05/15/1Exploit, Mailing List, Patch, Third Party Advisory
https://github.com/pixelb/coreutils/commit/bea5e36cc876ed627bb5e0eca36fdfaa6465e940Patch, Third Party Advisory

Timeline

Published: Jan 24, 2020
Last Modified: Jun 17, 2026
Status: Modified

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2015-4042?

How severe is CVE-2015-4042?

CVE-2015-4042 has a CVSS score of 9.8/10 (CRITICAL severity). The EPSS model estimates a 2.32% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

How do I fix CVE-2015-4042?

Check the vendor references and advisories linked above for patched versions and mitigation guidance. You can also run a Strix scan to test if your systems are affected.

Are you affected by CVE-2015-4042?

Run a free Strix scan to check your systems for this vulnerability.

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Source: NVD / NIST