--- title: "CVE-2015-8869\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-2015-8869?format=md keywords: index, follow --- # CVE-2015-8869 Publication date 13 June 2016 Last updated 25 August 2025 --- Ubuntu priority **Medium** [Why this priority?](https://ubuntu.com/security/cves/about#priority ) ## Cvss 3 Severity Score **9.1 · Critical** [Score breakdown](https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2015-8869?format=md#impact-score) Toggle side navigation ## Description OCaml before 4.03.0 does not properly handle sign extensions, which allows remote attackers to conduct buffer overflow attacks or obtain sensitive information as demonstrated by a long string to the String.copy function. ### From the Ubuntu Security Team It was discovered that OCaml mishandled sign extensions. A remote attacker could use this vulnerability to steal sensitive information, cause a denial of service (crash), or possibly execute arbitrary code. [Read the notes from the security team](https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2015-8869?format=md#notes) ## Status Show unmaintained releases | Package | Ubuntu Release | Status | | --- | --- | --- | | ocaml | 22.04 LTS jammy | Not affected | | 21.10 impish | Not affected | | 21.04 hirsute | Not affected | | 20.10 groovy | Not affected | | 20.04 LTS focal | Not affected | | 19.10 eoan | Not affected | | 19.04 disco | Not affected | | 18.10 cosmic | Not affected | | 18.04 LTS bionic | Not affected | | 17.10 artful | Ignored end of life | | 17.04 zesty | Ignored end of life | | 16.10 yakkety | Ignored end of life | | 16.04 LTS xenial | Fixed 4.02.3-5ubuntu2+esm1 Ubuntu Pro | | 15.10 wily | Ignored end of life | | 14.04 LTS trusty | Fixed 4.01.0-3ubuntu3.1 | | 12.04 LTS precise | Ignored end of life | --- * [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-2015-8869?format=md#patch-details) ### Get expanded security coverage with Ubuntu Pro Reduce your average CVE exposure time from 98 days to 1 day with expanded CVE patching, ten-years security maintenance and optional support for the full stack of open-source applications. Free for personal use. [Get Ubuntu Pro](https://ubuntu.com/pro) [30-day free trial](https://ubuntu.com/pro/free-trial) ## Notes --- ### [msalvatore](https://launchpad.net/~msalvatore) binaries built with ocamlopt will need to be rebuilt after a system upgrade ### 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 | | --- | --- | | ocaml | * Upstream: [659615c](https://github.com/ocaml/ocaml/commit/659615c7b100a89eafe6253e7a5b9d84d0e8df74) | ## Severity score breakdown CVSS version: CVSS v3.0 **Base score** 9.1 · Critical * Base metrics | Parameter | Value | | --- | --- | | Attack vector | Network | | Attack complexity | Low | | Privileges required | None | | User interaction | None | | Scope | Unchanged | | Confidentiality impact | High | | Integrity impact | None | | Availability impact | High | * Scores | Parameter | Value | | --- | --- | | Base score | 9.1 · Critical | | Exploitability score | - | | Impact score | - | **Vector:** CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:H ## References * [MITRE](https://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2015-8869) * [NVD](https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2015-8869) * [Launchpad](https://launchpad.net/bugs/cve/CVE-2015-8869) * [Debian](https://security-tracker.debian.org/tracker/CVE-2015-8869) ### Related Ubuntu Security Notices (USN) + [USN-3437-1](https://usn.ubuntu.com/USN-3437-1) + OCaml vulnerability + 3 October 2017 + [USN-4778-1](https://usn.ubuntu.com/USN-4778-1) + OCaml vulnerabilities + 15 March 2021 ### Other references * *