---
title: "CVE-2015-1781\n    | Ubuntu"
description: Ubuntu is an open source software operating system that runs from the
  desktop, to the cloud, to all your internet connected things.
url: https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2015-1781?format=md
keywords: index, follow
---

# CVE-2015-1781

Publication date 28 September 2015

Last updated 24 July 2024

---

Ubuntu priority

**Low**

[Why this priority?](https://ubuntu.com/security/cves/about#priority )

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## Description

Buffer overflow in the gethostbyname\_r and other unspecified NSS functions
in the GNU C Library (aka glibc or libc6) before 2.22 allows
context-dependent attackers to cause a denial of service (crash) or execute
arbitrary code via a crafted DNS response, which triggers a call with a
misaligned buffer.

### From the Ubuntu Security Team

Arjun Shankar discovered that in certain situations the nss\_dns code
in the GNU C Library did not properly account buffer sizes when
passed an unaligned buffer. An attacker could use this to cause a
denial of service or possibly execute arbitrary code.

[Read the notes from the security team](https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2015-1781?format=md#notes)

## Status

Show unmaintained releases

| Package | Ubuntu Release | Status |
| --- | --- | --- |
| eglibc | 17.04 zesty | Not in release |
| 16.10 yakkety | Not in release |
| 16.04 LTS xenial | Not in release |
| 15.10 wily | Not in release |
| 15.04 vivid | Not in release |
| 14.10 utopic | Not in release |
| 14.04 LTS trusty | Fixed 2.19-0ubuntu6.8 |
| 12.04 LTS precise | Fixed 2.15-0ubuntu10.14 |
| 10.04 LTS lucid | Ignored end of life |
| glibc | 17.04 zesty | Not affected |
| 16.10 yakkety | Not affected |
| 16.04 LTS xenial | Not affected |
| 15.10 wily | Fixed 2.21-0ubuntu4.2 |
| 15.04 vivid | Ignored end of life |
| 14.10 utopic | Ignored end of life |
| 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release |
| 12.04 LTS precise | Not in release |
| 10.04 LTS lucid | Not in release |

---

* [How can I get the fixes?](https://ubuntu.com/security/cves/about#security)
* [What do statuses mean?](https://ubuntu.com/security/cves/about#statuses)
* [Patch details](https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2015-1781?format=md#patch-details)

## Notes

---

### [sbeattie](https://launchpad.net/~sbeattie)

only happens if gethostbyname\_r etc functions are called with a misaligned
buffer, which according to upstream in practice does not happen often

### Patch details

For informational purposes only. We recommend not to cherry-pick updates. [How can I get the fixes?](https://ubuntu.com/security/cves/about#security)

| Package | Patch details |
| --- | --- |
| glibc | * Upstream:   <https://sourceware.org/git/?p=glibc.git;a=commit;h=2959eda9272a03386> |

## References

* [MITRE](https://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2015-1781)
* [NVD](https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2015-1781)
* [Launchpad](https://launchpad.net/bugs/cve/CVE-2015-1781)
* [Debian](https://security-tracker.debian.org/tracker/CVE-2015-1781)

### Related Ubuntu Security Notices (USN)

+ [USN-2985-1](https://usn.ubuntu.com/USN-2985-1)
+ GNU C Library vulnerabilities
+ 25 May 2016

### Other references

* <https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2015-1781>