CVE-2017-16231

Name: CVE-2017-16231
Creator: NVD / NIST
Published: 2019-03-21T15:59:56.217+00:00
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/

MEDIUMCVSS 5.5/10EPSS 0.52%

Last modified Jun 17, 2026

CVE-2017-16231 is a medium-severity vulnerability rated 5.5/10 on the CVSS scale. In PCRE 8.41, after compiling, a pcretest load test PoC produces a crash overflow in the function match() in pcre_exec.c because of a self-recursive call. NOTE: third parties dispute the relevance of this report, noting that there are options that can be used to limit the amount of stack that is used. EPSS estimates a 0.52% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days.

Description

In PCRE 8.41, after compiling, a pcretest load test PoC produces a crash overflow in the function match() in pcre_exec.c because of a self-recursive call. NOTE: third parties dispute the relevance of this report, noting that there are options that can be used to limit the amount of stack that is used

Metrics

CVSS 3.1

5.5/10

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

EPSS Probability

0.52%

40.4th percentile

Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days. Learn more

Weakness Enumeration

Affected Software

Vendor	Product	Versions
Pcre	Pcre	8.41

References

http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/150897/PCRE-8.41-Buffer-Overflow.htmlThird Party Advisory, VDB Entry
http://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2018/Dec/33Mailing List, Third Party Advisory
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2017/11/01/11Mailing List, Third Party Advisory
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2017/11/01/3Exploit, Mailing List, Third Party Advisory
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2017/11/01/7Mailing List, Third Party Advisory
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2017/11/01/8Exploit, Mailing List, Third Party Advisory
http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/101688Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
https://bugs.exim.org/show_bug.cgi?id=2047Issue Tracking, Third Party Advisory
http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/150897/PCRE-8.41-Buffer-Overflow.htmlThird Party Advisory, VDB Entry
http://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2018/Dec/33Mailing List, Third Party Advisory
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2017/11/01/11Mailing List, Third Party Advisory
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2017/11/01/3Exploit, Mailing List, Third Party Advisory
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2017/11/01/7Mailing List, Third Party Advisory
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2017/11/01/8Exploit, Mailing List, Third Party Advisory
http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/101688Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry
https://bugs.exim.org/show_bug.cgi?id=2047Issue Tracking, Third Party Advisory

Timeline

Published: Mar 21, 2019
Last Modified: Jun 17, 2026
Status: Modified

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2017-16231?

How severe is CVE-2017-16231?

CVE-2017-16231 has a CVSS score of 5.5/10 (MEDIUM severity). The EPSS model estimates a 0.52% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

How do I fix CVE-2017-16231?

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-2017-16231?

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

Scan your code now

Source: NVD / NIST