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CVE-2015-0235

CWE-787Published: January 28, 2015· Updated: Jun 17, 2026

10.0

CVSS v3.1

Official Description

Heap-based buffer overflow in the __nss_hostname_digits_dots function in glibc 2.2, and other 2.x versions before 2.18, allows context-dependent attackers to execute arbitrary code via vectors related to the (1) gethostbyname or (2) gethostbyname2 function, aka "GHOST."

Technical Analysis

CVE-2015-0235 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-2015-0235. While not yet confirmed in active campaigns, the availability of PoC code increases exploitation risk substantially.

From a weakness classification perspective (CWE-787): Out-of-bounds write vulnerabilities can lead to data corruption, crashes, or arbitrary code execution.

CVSS v3.1 Vector Breakdown

Exploitability

Attack VectorNetwork

Attack ComplexityLow

Privileges Req.

User Interaction

Scope

Impact

ConfidentialityC

IntegrityC

AvailabilityC

AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C

Affected Vendors & Products

Apple1 product(s)

mac os x

Debian1 product(s)

debian linux

gnu1 product(s)

glibc

IBM2 product(s)

pureapplication systemsecurity access manager for enterprise single sign-on

Oracle11 product(s)

communications application session controllercommunications eagle application processorcommunications eagle lnp application processorcommunications lsmscommunications policy managementcommunications session border controllercommunications user data repositorycommunications webrtc session controllerexalogic infrastructurevm virtualboxlinux

PHP1 product(s)

php

Red Hat1 product(s)

virtualization

Source: NVD CPE · 31 total CPE entries

Exploit & PoC Resources

POC AVAILABLEProof-of-concept code exists

Offensive Security exploit database

GitHub PoC Search

Community PoC repositories

Rapid7 / Metasploit

Metasploit module search

Security advisories & exploits

Official NIST entry

CVE Program entry

External links open in a new tab. Always verify in a controlled environment before use.

Official Patches & Advisories

PATCHhttp://www.oracle.com/technetwork/security-advisory/cpujul2016-2881720.html

PATCHhttp://www.oracle.com/technetwork/security-advisory/cpujul2017-3236622.html

PATCHhttp://www.oracle.com/technetwork/security-advisory/cpuoct2016-2881722.html

PATCHhttp://www.oracle.com/technetwork/security-advisory/cpuoct2017-3236626.html

PATCHhttp://www.oracle.com/technetwork/security-advisory/cpuoct2018-4428296.html

PATCHhttp://www.oracle.com/technetwork/security-advisory/cpujul2016-2881720.html

PATCHhttp://www.oracle.com/technetwork/security-advisory/cpujul2017-3236622.html

PATCHhttp://www.oracle.com/technetwork/security-advisory/cpuoct2016-2881722.html

PATCHhttp://www.oracle.com/technetwork/security-advisory/cpuoct2017-3236626.html

PATCHhttp://www.oracle.com/technetwork/security-advisory/cpuoct2018-4428296.html

ADVISORYhttp://blogs.sophos.com/2015/01/29/sophos-products-and-the-ghost-vulnerability-affecting-linux/

ADVISORYhttp://linux.oracle.com/errata/ELSA-2015-0090.html

ADVISORYhttp://linux.oracle.com/errata/ELSA-2015-0092.html

ADVISORYhttp://lists.apple.com/archives/security-announce/2015/Jun/msg00002.html

ADVISORYhttp://lists.apple.com/archives/security-announce/2015/Oct/msg00005.html

ADVISORYhttp://lists.apple.com/archives/security-announce/2015/Sep/msg00008.html

ADVISORYhttp://marc.info/?l=bugtraq&m=142296726407499&w=2

ADVISORYhttp://marc.info/?l=bugtraq&m=142721102728110&w=2

ADVISORYhttp://marc.info/?l=bugtraq&m=142722450701342&w=2

ADVISORYhttp://marc.info/?l=bugtraq&m=142781412222323&w=2

ADVISORYhttp://marc.info/?l=bugtraq&m=143145428124857&w=2

ADVISORYhttp://packetstormsecurity.com/files/130171/Exim-ESMTP-GHOST-Denial-Of-Service.html

ADVISORYhttp://packetstormsecurity.com/files/130768/EMC-Secure-Remote-Services-GHOST-SQL-Injection-Command-Injection.html

ADVISORYhttp://packetstormsecurity.com/files/130974/Exim-GHOST-glibc-gethostbyname-Buffer-Overflow.html

ADVISORYhttp://packetstormsecurity.com/files/153278/WAGO-852-Industrial-Managed-Switch-Series-Code-Execution-Hardcoded-Credentials.html

ADVISORYhttp://packetstormsecurity.com/files/164014/Moxa-Command-Injection-Cross-Site-Scripting-Vulnerable-Software.html

ADVISORYhttp://packetstormsecurity.com/files/167552/Nexans-FTTO-GigaSwitch-Outdated-Components-Hardcoded-Backdoor.html

ADVISORYhttp://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2015-0126.html

ADVISORYhttp://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2015/Jan/111

ADVISORYhttp://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2019/Jun/18

ADVISORYhttp://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2021/Sep/0

ADVISORYhttp://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2022/Jun/36

ADVISORYhttp://seclists.org/oss-sec/2015/q1/269

ADVISORYhttp://seclists.org/oss-sec/2015/q1/274

ADVISORYhttp://support.apple.com/kb/HT204942

ADVISORYhttp://tools.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-20150128-ghost

ADVISORYhttp://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21695695

ADVISORYhttp://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21695774

ADVISORYhttp://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21695835

ADVISORYhttp://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21695860

ADVISORYhttp://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21696131

ADVISORYhttp://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21696243

ADVISORYhttp://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21696526

ADVISORYhttp://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21696600

ADVISORYhttp://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21696602

ADVISORYhttp://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21696618

ADVISORYhttp://www.debian.org/security/2015/dsa-3142

ADVISORYhttp://www.mandriva.com/security/advisories?name=MDVSA-2015:039

ADVISORYhttp://www.oracle.com/technetwork/topics/security/cpuapr2015-2365600.html

ADVISORYhttp://www.oracle.com/technetwork/topics/security/cpujan2016-2367955.html

ADVISORYhttp://www.oracle.com/technetwork/topics/security/cpujul2015-2367936.html

ADVISORYhttp://www.oracle.com/technetwork/topics/security/cpuoct2015-2367953.html

ADVISORYhttp://www.securityfocus.com/archive/1/534845/100/0/threaded

ADVISORYhttp://www.securityfocus.com/bid/72325

ADVISORYhttp://www.securityfocus.com/bid/91787

ADVISORYhttp://www.securitytracker.com/id/1032909

ADVISORYhttps://bto.bluecoat.com/security-advisory/sa90

ADVISORYhttps://cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/pdf/ssa-994726.pdf

ADVISORYhttps://community.qualys.com/blogs/laws-of-vulnerabilities/2015/01/27/the-ghost-vulnerability

ADVISORYhttps://h20564.www2.hpe.com/portal/site/hpsc/public/kb/docDisplay?docId=emr_na-c04874668

ADVISORYhttps://help.ecostruxureit.com/display/public/UADCO8x/StruxureWare+Data+Center+Operation+Software+Vulnerability+Fixes

ADVISORYhttps://kb.juniper.net/InfoCenter/index?page=content&id=JSA10671

ADVISORYhttps://kc.mcafee.com/corporate/index?page=content&id=SB10100

ADVISORYhttps://seclists.org/bugtraq/2019/Jun/14

ADVISORYhttps://security.gentoo.org/glsa/201503-04

ADVISORYhttps://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20150127-0001/

ADVISORYhttps://support.apple.com/HT205267

ADVISORYhttps://support.apple.com/HT205375

ADVISORYhttps://www.arista.com/en/support/advisories-notices/security-advisories/1053-security-advisory-9

ADVISORYhttps://www.f-secure.com/en/web/labs_global/fsc-2015-1

ADVISORYhttps://www.qualys.com/research/security-advisories/GHOST-CVE-2015-0235.txt

ADVISORYhttps://www.sophos.com/en-us/support/knowledgebase/121879.aspx

ADVISORYhttp://blogs.sophos.com/2015/01/29/sophos-products-and-the-ghost-vulnerability-affecting-linux/

ADVISORYhttp://linux.oracle.com/errata/ELSA-2015-0090.html

ADVISORYhttp://linux.oracle.com/errata/ELSA-2015-0092.html

ADVISORYhttp://lists.apple.com/archives/security-announce/2015/Jun/msg00002.html

ADVISORYhttp://lists.apple.com/archives/security-announce/2015/Oct/msg00005.html

ADVISORYhttp://lists.apple.com/archives/security-announce/2015/Sep/msg00008.html

ADVISORYhttp://marc.info/?l=bugtraq&m=142296726407499&w=2

ADVISORYhttp://marc.info/?l=bugtraq&m=142721102728110&w=2

ADVISORYhttp://marc.info/?l=bugtraq&m=142722450701342&w=2

ADVISORYhttp://marc.info/?l=bugtraq&m=142781412222323&w=2

ADVISORYhttp://marc.info/?l=bugtraq&m=143145428124857&w=2

ADVISORYhttp://packetstormsecurity.com/files/130171/Exim-ESMTP-GHOST-Denial-Of-Service.html

ADVISORYhttp://packetstormsecurity.com/files/130768/EMC-Secure-Remote-Services-GHOST-SQL-Injection-Command-Injection.html

ADVISORYhttp://packetstormsecurity.com/files/130974/Exim-GHOST-glibc-gethostbyname-Buffer-Overflow.html

ADVISORYhttp://packetstormsecurity.com/files/153278/WAGO-852-Industrial-Managed-Switch-Series-Code-Execution-Hardcoded-Credentials.html

ADVISORYhttp://packetstormsecurity.com/files/164014/Moxa-Command-Injection-Cross-Site-Scripting-Vulnerable-Software.html

ADVISORYhttp://packetstormsecurity.com/files/167552/Nexans-FTTO-GigaSwitch-Outdated-Components-Hardcoded-Backdoor.html

ADVISORYhttp://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2015-0126.html

ADVISORYhttp://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2015/Jan/111

ADVISORYhttp://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2019/Jun/18

ADVISORYhttp://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2021/Sep/0

ADVISORYhttp://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2022/Jun/36

ADVISORYhttp://seclists.org/oss-sec/2015/q1/269

ADVISORYhttp://seclists.org/oss-sec/2015/q1/274

ADVISORYhttp://support.apple.com/kb/HT204942

ADVISORYhttp://tools.cisco.com/security/center/content/CiscoSecurityAdvisory/cisco-sa-20150128-ghost

ADVISORYhttp://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21695695

ADVISORYhttp://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21695774

ADVISORYhttp://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21695835

ADVISORYhttp://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21695860

ADVISORYhttp://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21696131

ADVISORYhttp://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21696243

ADVISORYhttp://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21696526

ADVISORYhttp://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21696600

ADVISORYhttp://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21696602

ADVISORYhttp://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg21696618

ADVISORYhttp://www.debian.org/security/2015/dsa-3142

ADVISORYhttp://www.mandriva.com/security/advisories?name=MDVSA-2015:039

ADVISORYhttp://www.oracle.com/technetwork/topics/security/cpuapr2015-2365600.html

ADVISORYhttp://www.oracle.com/technetwork/topics/security/cpujan2016-2367955.html

ADVISORYhttp://www.oracle.com/technetwork/topics/security/cpujul2015-2367936.html

ADVISORYhttp://www.oracle.com/technetwork/topics/security/cpuoct2015-2367953.html

ADVISORYhttp://www.securityfocus.com/archive/1/534845/100/0/threaded

ADVISORYhttp://www.securityfocus.com/bid/72325

ADVISORYhttp://www.securityfocus.com/bid/91787

ADVISORYhttp://www.securitytracker.com/id/1032909

ADVISORYhttps://bto.bluecoat.com/security-advisory/sa90

ADVISORYhttps://cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/pdf/ssa-994726.pdf

ADVISORYhttps://community.qualys.com/blogs/laws-of-vulnerabilities/2015/01/27/the-ghost-vulnerability

ADVISORYhttps://h20564.www2.hpe.com/portal/site/hpsc/public/kb/docDisplay?docId=emr_na-c04874668

ADVISORYhttps://help.ecostruxureit.com/display/public/UADCO8x/StruxureWare+Data+Center+Operation+Software+Vulnerability+Fixes

ADVISORYhttps://kb.juniper.net/InfoCenter/index?page=content&id=JSA10671

ADVISORYhttps://kc.mcafee.com/corporate/index?page=content&id=SB10100

ADVISORYhttps://seclists.org/bugtraq/2019/Jun/14

ADVISORYhttps://security.gentoo.org/glsa/201503-04

ADVISORYhttps://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20150127-0001/

ADVISORYhttps://support.apple.com/HT205267

ADVISORYhttps://support.apple.com/HT205375

ADVISORYhttps://www.arista.com/en/support/advisories-notices/security-advisories/1053-security-advisory-9

ADVISORYhttps://www.f-secure.com/en/web/labs_global/fsc-2015-1

ADVISORYhttps://www.qualys.com/research/security-advisories/GHOST-CVE-2015-0235.txt

ADVISORYhttps://www.sophos.com/en-us/support/knowledgebase/121879.aspx

All References (180)

→

http://blogs.sophos.com/2015/01/29/sophos-products-and-the-ghost-vulnerability-affecting-linux/Third Party Advisory

→

http://linux.oracle.com/errata/ELSA-2015-0090.htmlThird Party Advisory

→

http://linux.oracle.com/errata/ELSA-2015-0092.htmlThird Party Advisory

→

http://lists.apple.com/archives/security-announce/2015/Jun/msg00002.htmlMailing List · Third Party Advisory

→

http://lists.apple.com/archives/security-announce/2015/Oct/msg00005.htmlMailing List · Third Party Advisory

→

http://lists.apple.com/archives/security-announce/2015/Sep/msg00008.htmlMailing List · Third Party Advisory

→

http://marc.info/?l=bugtraq&m=142296726407499&w=2Issue Tracking · Mailing List · Third Party Advisory

→

http://marc.info/?l=bugtraq&m=142721102728110&w=2Issue Tracking · Mailing List · Third Party Advisory

→

http://marc.info/?l=bugtraq&m=142722450701342&w=2Issue Tracking · Mailing List · Third Party Advisory

→

http://marc.info/?l=bugtraq&m=142781412222323&w=2Issue Tracking · Mailing List · Third Party Advisory

→

http://marc.info/?l=bugtraq&m=143145428124857&w=2Issue Tracking · Mailing List · Third Party Advisory

→

http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/130171/Exim-ESMTP-GHOST-Denial-Of-Service.htmlExploit · Third Party Advisory · VDB Entry

→

http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/130768/EMC-Secure-Remote-Services-GHOST-SQL-Injection-Command-Injection.htmlThird Party Advisory · VDB Entry

→

http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/130974/Exim-GHOST-glibc-gethostbyname-Buffer-Overflow.htmlExploit · Third Party Advisory · VDB Entry

→

http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/153278/WAGO-852-Industrial-Managed-Switch-Series-Code-Execution-Hardcoded-Credentials.htmlExploit · Third Party Advisory · VDB Entry

Quick Facts

CVE IDCVE-2015-0235

CVSS Score10.0 / 10

SeverityCRITICAL

WeaknessCWE-787

CISA KEVNo

ExploitPOC

Affected7 vendor(s)

PublishedJan 28, 2015

Related CVEs (CWE-787)

Recommended Actions

→Apply vendor patches immediately
→Monitor CVE-2015-0235 in threat intel feeds
→Review IDS/IPS signatures for exploitation attempts

Data sourced from NVD (NIST), CISA KEV, and EPSS (FIRST). Analysis generated by CTIWATCH.COM. CVE data is provided under the NVD usage policy.

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