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CVE-2016-6559

The BSD libc library's link_ntoa() function may be vulnerable to a classic buffer overflow

Published
Last modified
published
Not listed in CISA KEV
None on Exploit-DB, Metasploit or GitHub

Summary

Improper bounds checking of the obuf variable in the link_ntoa() function in linkaddr.c of the BSD libc library may allow an attacker to read or write from memory. The full impact and severity depends on the method of exploit and how the library is used by applications. According to analysis by FreeBSD developers, it is very unlikely that applications exist that utilize link_ntoa() in an exploitable manner, and the CERT/CC is not aware of any proof of concept. A blog post describes the functionality of link_ntoa() and points out that none of the base utilities use this function in an exploitable manner. For more information, please see FreeBSD Security Advisory SA-16:37.

Timeline

  1. CVE published
  2. Record last updated

Affected versions

  • BSD libc library

    link_ntoa()

References 4

securitytracker.com

freebsd.org

kb.cert.org

securityfocus.com