The cgi_initialize_string function in cgi-bin/var.c in the web interface in CUPS before 1.4.4, as used on Apple Mac OS X 10.5.8, Mac OS X 10
The cgi_initialize_string function in cgi-bin/var.c in the web interface in CUPS before 1.4.4, as used on Apple Mac OS X 10.5.8, Mac OS X 10.6 before 10.6.4, and other platforms, does not properly handle parameter values containing a % (percent) character without two subsequent hex characters, which allows context-dependent attackers to obtain sensitive information from cupsd process memory via a crafted request, as demonstrated by the (1) /admin?OP=redirect&URL=% and (2) /admin?URL=/admin/&OP=% URIs.
- Published
- Jun 17, 2010
- Updated
- Jun 16, 2026
- EPSS
- 6.5% · 94th percentile
- CWE
- CWE-119
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Report tools
Action score
19
Monitor
Low priority for now.
- CVSS
- 17 / 40 · 4.3 / 10
- CISA KEV
- 0 / 30 · Not listed
- EPSS
- 2 / 30 · 6.5%
Noroxi analysis
No Noroxi analysis for this record yet
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We use this product, ask for helpAffected systems
| Vendor | Product | CPE |
|---|---|---|
| apple | cups | cpe:2.3:a:apple:cups |
| apple | mac os x | cpe:2.3:o:apple:mac_os_x |
| apple | mac os x server | cpe:2.3:o:apple:mac_os_x_server |
Affected versions
NVD version ranges (for catalog products). Add the product to your stack with a version and matching uses these.
- apple cupsup to 1.4.3 inclusive
- apple cups1.1
- apple cups1.1.1
- apple cups1.1.10
- apple cups1.1.10-1
- apple cups1.1.11
- apple cups1.1.12
- apple cups1.1.13
- apple cups1.1.14
- apple cups1.1.15
- apple cups1.1.16
- apple cups1.1.17
- apple cups1.1.18
- apple cups1.1.19
- apple cups1.1.2
- apple cups1.1.20
- apple cups1.1.21
- apple cups1.1.22
- apple cups1.1.23
- apple cups1.1.3
Package-level exposure
OSV and GitHub Advisory data: ecosystem, package and range. SBOM matching uses this table.
| Ecosystem | Package | Affected range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| Debian:12 | cups | before 1.4.4-1 | 1.4.4-1 |
| Debian:5.0 | cups | before 1.3.8-1+lenny9 | 1.3.8-1+lenny9 |
| openSUSE:Tumbleweed | cups | before 2.1.3-2.3 | 2.1.3-2.3 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:3::as | cups | before 1:1.1.17-13.3.65 | 1:1.1.17-13.3.65 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:3::as | cups-debuginfo | before 1:1.1.17-13.3.65 | 1:1.1.17-13.3.65 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:3::as | cups-devel | before 1:1.1.17-13.3.65 | 1:1.1.17-13.3.65 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:3::as | cups-libs | before 1:1.1.17-13.3.65 | 1:1.1.17-13.3.65 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:4::as | cups | before 1:1.1.22-0.rc1.9.32.el4_8.6 | 1:1.1.22-0.rc1.9.32.el4_8.6 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:4::as | cups-debuginfo | before 1:1.1.22-0.rc1.9.32.el4_8.6 | 1:1.1.22-0.rc1.9.32.el4_8.6 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:4::as | cups-devel | before 1:1.1.22-0.rc1.9.32.el4_8.6 | 1:1.1.22-0.rc1.9.32.el4_8.6 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:4::as | cups-libs | before 1:1.1.22-0.rc1.9.32.el4_8.6 | 1:1.1.22-0.rc1.9.32.el4_8.6 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:5::client | cups-libs | before 1:1.3.7-18.el5_5.4 | 1:1.3.7-18.el5_5.4 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:5::client | cups-lpd | before 1:1.3.7-18.el5_5.4 | 1:1.3.7-18.el5_5.4 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:5::client_workstation | cups | before 1:1.3.7-18.el5_5.4 | 1:1.3.7-18.el5_5.4 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:5::client_workstation | cups-debuginfo | before 1:1.3.7-18.el5_5.4 | 1:1.3.7-18.el5_5.4 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:5::client_workstation | cups-devel | before 1:1.3.7-18.el5_5.4 | 1:1.3.7-18.el5_5.4 |
Same product
apple: all recordsOther highest-scoring records for the same primary product.
- CVE-2008-3641The Hewlett-Packard Graphics Language (HPGL) filter in CUPS before 1.3.9 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via crafted pen w47Plan
- CVE-2008-0053Multiple buffer overflows in the HP-GL/2-to-PostScript filter in CUPS before 1.3.6 might allow remote attackers to execute arbitrary code vi42Plan
- CVE-2010-2941ipp.c in cupsd in CUPS 1.4.4 and earlier does not properly allocate memory for attribute values with invalid string data types, which allows41Plan
- CVE-2008-5184The web interface (cgi-bin/admin.c) in CUPS before 1.3.8 uses the guest username when a user is not logged on to the web server, which makes41Plan
- CVE-2012-6094cups (Common Unix Printing System) 'Listen localhost:631' option not honored correctly which could provide unauthorized access to the system40Plan
- CVE-2004-2154CUPS before 1.1.21rc1 treats a Location directive in cupsd.conf as case sensitive, which allows attackers to bypass intended ACLs via a prin40Plan
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:cups | 1.4.4-1 · Debian:12 | Package registry (OSV) |
| opensuse:cups | 2.1.3-2.3 · openSUSE:Tumbleweed | Package registry (OSV) |
| red hat:cups | 1:1.1.17-13.3.65 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:3::as | Package registry (OSV) |
| red hat:cups-debuginfo | 1:1.1.17-13.3.65 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:3::as | Package registry (OSV) |
| red hat:cups-devel | 1:1.1.17-13.3.65 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:3::as | Package registry (OSV) |
| red hat:cups-libs | 1:1.1.17-13.3.65 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:3::as | Package registry (OSV) |
| red hat:cups-lpd | 1:1.3.7-18.el5_5.4 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:5::client | Package registry (OSV) |
Exploit status
Proof of concept available
A public proof of concept or detection signature exists. Exploit knowledge is out there; don't delay patching.
Evidence
- Exploit-DB entry ×1
Noroxi does not host or link to exploit code. Metasploit module names and Nuclei template ids are shown (names, not code); Exploit-DB entries and PoC repositories are given as counts only.
| Source | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Exploit-DB entry | remote | 2010-06-15 |
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.
- First PoC-3 d
- Published
- TodayOct 9, 2026+5958 d
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.
No commit or PR link among the references.
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
- none
- Availability
- none
- Attack complexity
- M
- Confidentiality impact
- P
- Integrity impact
- None
- Availability impact
- None
Weakness class (CWE)
CWE-119 · Improper Restriction of Operations within the Bounds of a Memory BufferCVSS vector
AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:P/I:N/A:N
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.
Attack patterns (CAPEC)
- Buffer Overflow via Environment VariablesCAPEC-10likelihood: High · High
- Overflow BuffersCAPEC-100likelihood: High · Very High
- Buffer ManipulationCAPEC-123likelihood: High · Very High
- Client-side Injection-induced Buffer OverflowCAPEC-14likelihood: Medium · High
- Filter Failure through Buffer OverflowCAPEC-24likelihood: High · High
- MIME ConversionCAPEC-42likelihood: High · High
- Overflow Binary Resource FileCAPEC-44likelihood: High · Very High
- Buffer Overflow via Symbolic LinksCAPEC-45likelihood: High · High
ATT&CK techniques
—
Change log
- Fix✗ → ✓
For records you follow, these changes also arrive as notifications. →
References
- cups.org/articles.php?L596
- cups.org/str.php?L3577
- lists.apple.com/archives/security-announce/2010//Jun/msg00001.html
- lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2010-12/msg00000.html
- secunia.com/advisories/40220
- secunia.com/advisories/43521
- security.gentoo.org/glsa/glsa-201207-10.xml
- support.apple.com/kb/HT4188
- www.debian.org/security/2011/dsa-2176
- www.mandriva.com/security/advisories?name=MDVSA-2010:232
- www.mandriva.com/security/advisories?name=MDVSA-2010:234
- www.securityfocus.com/bid/40871
- www.vupen.com/english/advisories/2010/1481
- www.vupen.com/english/advisories/2011/0535
- oval.cisecurity.org/repository/search/definition/oval%3Aorg.mitre.oval%3Adef%3A9723
Vendor advisories and official records. Exploit/PoC links are deliberately left out.