---
title: "CVE-2015-6251\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-2015-6251?format=md
keywords: index, follow
---

# CVE-2015-6251

Publication date 24 August 2015

Last updated 24 July 2024

---

Ubuntu priority

**Medium**

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

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## Description

Double free vulnerability in GnuTLS before 3.3.17 and 3.4.x before 3.4.4
allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service via a long
DistinguishedName (DN) entry in a certificate.

[Read the notes from the security team](https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2015-6251?format=md#notes)

## Status

Show unmaintained releases

| Package | Ubuntu Release | Status |
| --- | --- | --- |
| gnutls26 | 19.04 disco | Not in release |
| 18.10 cosmic | Not in release |
| 18.04 LTS bionic | Not in release |
| 17.10 artful | Not in release |
| 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 |
| 14.04 LTS trusty | Not affected |
| 12.04 LTS precise | Not affected |
| gnutls28 | 19.04 disco | Fixed 3.3.15-5ubuntu2 |
| 18.10 cosmic | Fixed 3.3.15-5ubuntu2 |
| 18.04 LTS bionic | Fixed 3.3.15-5ubuntu2 |
| 17.10 artful | Fixed 3.3.15-5ubuntu2 |
| 17.04 zesty | Fixed 3.3.15-5ubuntu2 |
| 16.10 yakkety | Fixed 3.3.15-5ubuntu2 |
| 16.04 LTS xenial | Fixed 3.3.15-5ubuntu2 |
| 15.10 wily | Fixed 3.3.15-5ubuntu2 |
| 15.04 vivid | Fixed 3.3.8-3ubuntu3.1 |
| 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release |
| 12.04 LTS precise | Not affected |

---

* [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-2015-6251?format=md#patch-details)

## Notes

---

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

introduced in 3.1.10

### 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 |
| --- | --- |
| gnutls28 | * Upstream:   [2728543](https://gitlab.com/gnutls/gnutls/commit/272854367efc130fbd4f1a51840d80c630214e12) |

## References

* [MITRE](https://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2015-6251)
* [NVD](https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2015-6251)
* [Launchpad](https://launchpad.net/bugs/cve/CVE-2015-6251)
* [Debian](https://security-tracker.debian.org/tracker/CVE-2015-6251)

### Related Ubuntu Security Notices (USN)

+ [USN-2727-1](https://usn.ubuntu.com/USN-2727-1)
+ GnuTLS vulnerabilities
+ 1 September 2015

### Other references

* <http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2015/08/10/1>
* <http://www.gnutls.org/security.html#GNUTLS-SA-2015-3>
* <https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2015-6251>