---
title: "CVE-2017-12883\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-2017-12883?format=md
keywords: index, follow
---

# CVE-2017-12883

Publication date 19 September 2017

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-2017-12883?format=md#impact-score)

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## Description

Buffer overflow in the S\_grok\_bslash\_N function in regcomp.c in Perl 5
before 5.24.3-RC1 and 5.26.x before 5.26.1-RC1 allows remote attackers to
disclose sensitive information or cause a denial of service (application
crash) via a crafted regular expression with an invalid '\N{U+...}' escape.

## Status

Show unmaintained releases

| Package | Ubuntu Release | Status |
| --- | --- | --- |
| perl | 17.10 artful | Not affected |
| 17.04 zesty | Fixed 5.24.1-2ubuntu1.1 |
| 16.04 LTS xenial | Fixed 5.22.1-9ubuntu0.2 |
| 14.04 LTS trusty | Fixed 5.18.2-2ubuntu1.3 |

---

* [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-2017-12883?format=md#patch-details)

### 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 |
| --- | --- |
| perl | * Upstream:   <https://perl5.git.perl.org/perl.git/commitdiff/2be4edede4ae226e2eebd4eff28cedd2041f300f> |

## 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-2017-12883)
* [NVD](https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2017-12883)
* [Launchpad](https://launchpad.net/bugs/cve/CVE-2017-12883)
* [Debian](https://security-tracker.debian.org/tracker/CVE-2017-12883)

### Related Ubuntu Security Notices (USN)

+ [USN-3478-1](https://usn.ubuntu.com/USN-3478-1)
+ Perl vulnerabilities
+ 13 November 2017

+ [USN-3478-2](https://usn.ubuntu.com/USN-3478-2)
+ Perl vulnerability
+ 13 November 2017

### Other references

* <https://rt.perl.org/Public/Bug/Display.html?id=131598>
* <https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2017-12883>