CVE-2017-12379
CWE-119Published: January 26, 2018· Updated: Jun 17, 2026
Official Description
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 or potentially execute arbitrary code on an affected device. The vulnerability is due to improper input validation checking mechanisms in the message parsing function on an affected system. An unauthenticated, remote attacker could exploit this vulnerability by sending a crafted email to the affected device. This action could cause a messageAddArgument (in message.c) buffer overflow condition when ClamAV scans the malicious email, allowing the attacker to potentially cause a DoS condition or execute arbitrary code on an affected device.
Technical Analysis
CVE-2017-12379 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 complete confidentiality breach (data exposure), full integrity compromise (data manipulation), availability disruption (denial of service), with a CVSS base score of 9.8.
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 (10)
Quick Facts
Related CVEs (CWE-119)
Recommended Actions
- →Apply vendor patches immediately
- →Monitor CVE-2017-12379 in threat intel feeds
- →Review IDS/IPS signatures for exploitation attempts