CVE-2017-12374
CWE-416Published: January 26, 2018· Updated: Jun 17, 2026
Official Description
The ClamAV AntiVirus software versions 0.99.2 and prior contain a vulnerability that could allow an unauthenticated, remote attacker to cause a denial of service (DoS) condition on an affected device. The vulnerability is due to a lack of input validation checking mechanisms during certain mail parsing operations (mbox.c operations on bounce messages). If successfully exploited, the ClamAV software could allow a variable pointing to the mail body which could cause a used after being free (use-after-free) instance which may lead to a disruption of services on an affected device to include a denial of service condition.
Technical Analysis
CVE-2017-12374 can be exploited remotely over the network without requiring physical or adjacent access, significantly expanding the attack surface for threat actors.
The vulnerability requires no privileges and no user interaction, making it a prime target for automated exploitation campaigns and worm-like propagation.
A successful exploit results in availability disruption (denial of service), with a CVSS base score of 7.5.
From a weakness classification perspective (CWE-416): Use-after-free vulnerabilities involve accessing memory after it has been freed, often enabling arbitrary code execution.
CVSS v3.1 Vector Breakdown
Affected Vendors & Products
Exploit & PoC Resources
Official Patches & Advisories
All References (10)
Quick Facts
Related CVEs (CWE-416)
Recommended Actions
- →Apply vendor patches immediately
- →Monitor CVE-2017-12374 in threat intel feeds
- →Review IDS/IPS signatures for exploitation attempts