---
title: "CVE-2017-9048\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-2017-9048?format=md
keywords: index, follow
---

# CVE-2017-9048

Publication date 18 May 2017

Last updated 25 August 2025

---

Ubuntu priority

**Medium**

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

## Cvss 3 Severity Score

**7.5 · High**

[Score breakdown](https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2017-9048?format=md#impact-score)

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## Description

libxml2 20904-GITv2.9.4-16-g0741801 is vulnerable to a stack-based buffer
overflow. The function xmlSnprintfElementContent in valid.c is supposed to
recursively dump the element content definition into a char buffer 'buf' of
size 'size'. At the end of the routine, the function may strcat two more
characters without checking whether the current strlen(buf) + 2 < size.
This vulnerability causes programs that use libxml2, such as PHP, to crash.

## Status

Show unmaintained releases

| Package | Ubuntu Release | Status |
| --- | --- | --- |
| libxml2 | 17.04 zesty | Fixed 2.9.4+dfsg1-2.2ubuntu0.1 |
| 16.10 yakkety | Ignored end of life |
| 16.04 LTS xenial | Fixed 2.9.3+dfsg1-1ubuntu0.3 |
| 14.04 LTS trusty | Fixed 2.9.1+dfsg1-3ubuntu4.10 |

---

* [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-2017-9048?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 |
| --- | --- |
| libxml2 | * Upstream:   [?id=932](https://git.gnome.org/browse/libxml2/commit/?id=932cc9896ab41475d4aa429c27d9afd175959d74) |

## Severity score breakdown

CVSS version:
CVSS v3.0

**Base score**

7.5 · High

* Base metrics

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

  | Parameter | Value |
  | --- | --- |
  | Base score | 7.5 · High |
  | Exploitability score | - |
  | Impact score | - |

**Vector:** CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

## References

* [MITRE](https://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2017-9048)
* [NVD](https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2017-9048)
* [Launchpad](https://launchpad.net/bugs/cve/CVE-2017-9048)
* [Debian](https://security-tracker.debian.org/tracker/CVE-2017-9048)

### Related Ubuntu Security Notices (USN)

+ [USN-3424-1](https://usn.ubuntu.com/USN-3424-1)
+ libxml2 vulnerabilities
+ 19 September 2017

+ [USN-3424-2](https://usn.ubuntu.com/USN-3424-2)
+ libxml2 vulnerabilities
+ 10 October 2017

### Other references

* <http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2017/05/15/1>
* <https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2017-9048>