CVE-2006-5646
CWE-119Published: November 1, 2006· Updated: Jun 16, 2026
Official Description
Heap-based buffer overflow in Sophos Anti-Virus and Endpoint Security before 6.0.5, Anti-Virus for Linux before 5.0.10, and other platforms before 4.11, when archive scanning is enabled, allows remote attackers to trigger a denial of service (memory corruption) via a CHM file with an LZX decompression header that specifies a Window_size of 0.
Technical Analysis
CVE-2006-5646 can be exploited remotely over the network without requiring physical or adjacent access, significantly expanding the attack surface for threat actors.
Exploitation requires some privileges, which limits the exposure to scenarios where an attacker has already gained initial access.
A proof-of-concept (PoC) exploit exists for CVE-2006-5646. While not yet confirmed in active campaigns, the availability of PoC code increases exploitation risk substantially.
From a weakness classification perspective (CWE-119): Buffer overflow vulnerabilities can lead to arbitrary code execution or denial of service by corrupting adjacent memory.
CVSS v3.1 Vector Breakdown
Affected Vendors & Products
Exploit & PoC Resources
Official Patches & Advisories
All References (12)
Quick Facts
Related CVEs (CWE-119)
Recommended Actions
- →Apply vendor patches immediately
- →Monitor CVE-2006-5646 in threat intel feeds
- →Review IDS/IPS signatures for exploitation attempts