Integer underflow in the unlzw function in unlzw.c in gzip before 1.4 on 64-bit platforms, as used in ncompress and probably others, allows
Noroxi assessment
Priority: Monitor (action score 28/100)
- The sources we track (CISA KEV, Exploit-DB, Metasploit, Nuclei, GitHub) show no public exploit code or exploitation in the wild.
- Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days: 4.7% (FIRST EPSS); higher than 91.8% of all records.
- Fixed version: gzip (Debian:12) 1.3.12-9; ncompress (Debian:12) 4.2.4.3-1; gzip (Debian:4.0) 1.3.5-15+etch1.
Low priority for now. Upgrade to gzip (Debian:12) 1.3.12-9; ncompress (Debian:12) 4.2.4.3-1; gzip (Debian:4.0) 1.3.5-15+etch1 or later.
Generated automatically from the record's data: CVSS (NVD and CNA), CISA KEV and SSVC, FIRST EPSS, exploit sources, fixed versions. How we calculate it
Primary sources: NVD · CVE.org · FIRST EPSS
Integer underflow in the unlzw function in unlzw.c in gzip before 1.4 on 64-bit platforms, as used in ncompress and probably others, allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (application crash) or possibly execute arbitrary code via a crafted archive that uses LZW compression, leading to an array index error.
- Published
- Jan 29, 2010
- Updated
- Jun 16, 2026
- EPSS
- 4.7% · 91th percentile
- CWE
- CWE-189
Report tools
Action score
28
Monitor
Low priority for now.
- CVSS
- 27 / 40 · 6.8 / 10
- CISA KEV
- 0 / 30 · Not listed
- EPSS
- 1 / 30 · 4.7%
Get told when this record changes
- Not in KEV: no record of exploitation in the wild
- No public exploit code on record
- A fix has been released
If any of these changes, we'll tell you in the daily email digest.
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Noroxi analysis
What does it mean in your environment?
The assessment above is generated automatically from the record's data; it doesn't know your environment. Our team verifies on your systems whether this vulnerability is actually exploitable and which mitigation is enough.
We use this product, ask for helpAffected systems
Is your version affected?
Pick the product and type the version you run. It's compared with this record's version ranges in your browser; the version isn't sent anywhere.
| Vendor | Product | CPE |
|---|---|---|
| gnu | gzip | cpe:2.3:a:gnu:gzip |
Affected versions
NVD version ranges (for catalog products). Add the product to your stack with a version and matching uses these.
- gnu gzipup to 1.3.13 inclusive
- gnu gzip1.2.4
- gnu gzip1.2.4a
- gnu gzip1.3
- gnu gzip1.3.1
- gnu gzip1.3.10
- gnu gzip1.3.11
- gnu gzip1.3.12
- gnu gzip1.3.2
- gnu gzip1.3.3
- gnu gzip1.3.4
- gnu gzip1.3.5
- gnu gzip1.3.6
- gnu gzip1.3.7
- gnu gzip1.3.8
- gnu gzip1.3.9
Package-level exposure
OSV and GitHub Advisory data: ecosystem, package and range. SBOM matching uses this table.
| Ecosystem | Package | Affected range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| Debian:12 | gzip | before 1.3.12-9 | 1.3.12-9 |
| Debian:12 | ncompress | before 4.2.4.3-1 | 4.2.4.3-1 |
| Debian:4.0 | gzip | before 1.3.5-15+etch1 | 1.3.5-15+etch1 |
| Debian:5.0 | gzip | before 1.3.12-6+lenny1 | 1.3.12-6+lenny1 |
| Debian:5.0 | ncompress | before 4.2.4.2-1+lenny1 | 4.2.4.2-1+lenny1 |
| openSUSE:Tumbleweed | gzip | before 1.8-1.29 | 1.8-1.29 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:3::as | gzip | before 0:1.3.3-15.rhel3 | 0:1.3.3-15.rhel3 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:3::as | gzip-debuginfo | before 0:1.3.3-15.rhel3 | 0:1.3.3-15.rhel3 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:4::as | gzip | before 0:1.3.3-18.el4_8.1 | 0:1.3.3-18.el4_8.1 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:4::as | gzip-debuginfo | before 0:1.3.3-18.el4_8.1 | 0:1.3.3-18.el4_8.1 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:5::client | gzip | before 0:1.3.5-11.el5_4.1 | 0:1.3.5-11.el5_4.1 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:5::client | gzip-debuginfo | before 0:1.3.5-11.el5_4.1 | 0:1.3.5-11.el5_4.1 |
Same product
gnu: all recordsOther highest-scoring records for the same primary product.
- CVE-2004-0603gzexe in gzip 1.3.3 and earlier will execute an argument when the creation of a temp file fails instead of exiting the program, which could 41Plan
- CVE-2022-1271An arbitrary file write vulnerability was found in GNU gzip's zgrep utility.37Monitor
- CVE-2001-1228Buffer overflows in gzip 1.3x, 1.2.4, and other versions might allow attackers to execute code via a long file name, possibly remotely if gz31Monitor
Published before and after this one in the same product
- ← EarlierCVE-2005-0758May 13, 2005 · zgrep in gzip before 1.3.5 does not properly sanitize arguments, which allows local users to execute arbitrary commands via filenames that a18Monitor
- ← EarlierCVE-2009-2624Jan 29, 2010 · The huft_build function in inflate.c in gzip before 1.3.13 creates a hufts (aka huffman) table that is too small, which allows remote attack28Monitor
- Later →CVE-2026-41991Jun 29, 2026 · Predictable Temporary File in GNU gzip8Monitor
Remediation
Which version to upgrade to
Fix versions compiled from the vendor, package registries and Microsoft. Verify the vendor's note before upgrading.
| Product / package | Fixed version | Source |
|---|---|---|
| debian:gzip | 1.3.12-9 · Debian:12 | Package registry (OSV) |
| debian:ncompress | 4.2.4.3-1 · Debian:12 | Package registry (OSV) |
| opensuse:gzip | 1.8-1.29 · openSUSE:Tumbleweed | Package registry (OSV) |
| red hat:gzip | 0:1.3.3-15.rhel3 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:3::as | Package registry (OSV) |
| red hat:gzip-debuginfo | 0:1.3.3-15.rhel3 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:3::as | Package registry (OSV) |
Exploit status
No known public exploit
No public exploit has been observed yet. That doesn't mean you're safe, only that the bar is a little higher.
Research context
For pentesters and researchers: attack profile, score disagreement, timeline, patch commits, credits, variant and chain candidates, bug bounty scope. All derived from existing data; no exploit code.
Timeline
From publication to today: proof of concept, Metasploit module, CISA KEV and fix record. Dates are as reported by the sources.
No dated events beyond publication.
FIRST EPSS daily score; only changes of 0.01 or more are recorded (step chart).
Patch and commit links
Commit, PR and diff links among the references. A starting point for patch-diffing and variant hunting; fixes, not exploits.
Credits
All researchersFinders, reporters and analysts named in the CNA record. Click a name for that researcher’s other records.
No credits in the CNA record.
Variant candidates
Same product, same weakness class, within 18 months. If the patch missed the root cause, the sibling bug is here.
No nightly-computed relations.
Chain candidates
An authentication bypass and a privilege-requiring bug in the same product, published close together: combined they may become an unauthenticated path.
—
Bug bounty scope
No known public program.
Source: bounty-targets-data (public HackerOne, Bugcrowd, Intigriti, YesWeHack listings).
Technical details
Attack conditions
If successful
- Confidentiality
- P · data can be read
- Integrity
- P · data or configuration can be modified
- Availability
- P · the service can be disrupted
- Attack complexity
- M
- Confidentiality impact
- P
- Integrity impact
- P
- Availability impact
- P
Weakness class (CWE)
CWE-189 · Numeric ErrorsCVSS vector
AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P
nvd-primary
Attack context
MITRE CAPEC attack patterns and ATT&CK techniques for this weakness class (CWE). A starting point for detection rules and threat hunting.
MITRE has no CAPEC/ATT&CK mapping for this CWE.
Change log
- Fix✗ → ✓
For records you follow, these changes also arrive as notifications. →
References
Show all references (19 more)Show less
- itrc.hp.com/service/cki/docDisplay.do?docId=emr_na-c02286083
- kb.juniper.net/InfoCenter/index?page=content&id=JSA10705
- lists.apple.com/archives/security-announce/2010//Nov/msg00000.html
- lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2010-01/msg00009.html
- ncompress.sourceforge.net/#status
- savannah.gnu.org/forum/forum.php?forum_id=6153
- secunia.com/advisories/38220
- secunia.com/advisories/38223
- secunia.com/advisories/38225
- secunia.com/advisories/38232
- secunia.com/advisories/40551
- secunia.com/advisories/40655
- secunia.com/advisories/40689
- securitytracker.com/id?1023490
- support.apple.com/kb/HT4435
- www.debian.org/security/2010/dsa-1974
- www.debian.org/security/2010/dsa-2074
- www.mandriva.com/security/advisories?name=MDVSA-2010:019
- www.mandriva.com/security/advisories?name=MDVSA-2010:020
Vendor advisories and official records. Exploit/PoC links are deliberately left out.