---
title: "CVE-2017-15897\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-2017-15897?format=md
keywords: index, follow
---

# CVE-2017-15897

Publication date 11 December 2017

Last updated 25 August 2025

---

Ubuntu priority

**Medium**

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

## Cvss 3 Severity Score

**3.1 · Low**

[Score breakdown](https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2017-15897?format=md#impact-score)

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## Description

Node.js had a bug in versions 8.X and 9.X which caused buffers to not be
initialized when the encoding for the fill value did not match the encoding
specified. For example, 'Buffer.alloc(0x100, "This is not correctly
encoded", "hex");' The buffer implementation was updated such that the
buffer will be initialized to all zeros in these cases.

[Read the notes from the security team](https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2017-15897?format=md#notes)

## Status

Show unmaintained releases

| Package | Ubuntu Release | Status |
| --- | --- | --- |
| nodejs | 18.04 LTS bionic | Not affected |
| 17.10 artful | Ignored end of life |
| 17.04 zesty | Ignored end of life |
| 16.04 LTS xenial | Not affected |
| 14.04 LTS trusty | 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)

## Notes

---

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

affects 8.X and 9.X versions. Fixed in v8.9.3.

## Severity score breakdown

CVSS version:
CVSS v3.0

**Base score**

3.1 · Low

* Base metrics

  | Parameter | Value |
  | --- | --- |
  | Attack vector | Network |
  | Attack complexity | High |
  | Privileges required | Low |
  | User interaction | None |
  | Scope | Unchanged |
  | Confidentiality impact | Low |
  | Integrity impact | None |
  | Availability impact | None |
* Scores

  | Parameter | Value |
  | --- | --- |
  | Base score | 3.1 · Low |
  | Exploitability score | - |
  | Impact score | - |

**Vector:** CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N

## References

* [MITRE](https://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2017-15897)
* [NVD](https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2017-15897)
* [Launchpad](https://launchpad.net/bugs/cve/CVE-2017-15897)
* [Debian](https://security-tracker.debian.org/tracker/CVE-2017-15897)

### Other references

* <https://nodejs.org/en/blog/vulnerability/december-2017-security-releases/>
* <https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2017-15897>