CVE-2012-3954: Multiple memory leaks in ISC DHCP 4.1.x and 4.2.x before 4.2.4-P1 and 4.1-ESV before 4.1-ESV-R6 allow remote attackers to cause a denial of…
Noroxi assessment
Priority: Monitor (action score 14/100)
- 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: 4.3% (FIRST EPSS); higher than 91.3% of all records.
- No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.
- Fixed version: isc-dhcp (Debian:12) 4.2.4-2; isc-dhcp (Debian:6.0) 4.1.1-P1-15+squeeze4, 4.1.1-P1-15+squeeze5, 4.1.1-P1-15+squeeze6; dhcp (openSUSE:Tumbleweed) 4.3.3.P1-3.1.
Low priority for now. Upgrade to isc-dhcp (Debian:12) 4.2.4-2; isc-dhcp (Debian:6.0) 4.1.1-P1-15+squeeze4, 4.1.1-P1-15+squeeze5, 4.1.1-P1-15+squeeze6; dhcp (openSUSE:Tumbleweed) 4.3.3.P1-3.1 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
Multiple memory leaks in ISC DHCP 4.1.x and 4.2.x before 4.2.4-P1 and 4.1-ESV before 4.1-ESV-R6 allow remote attackers to cause a denial of service (memory consumption) by sending many requests.
- Published
- Jul 25, 2012
- Updated
- Jun 16, 2026
- EPSS
- 4.3% · 91th percentile
- CWE
- CWE-399
Report tools
Action score
14
Low priority for now.
- CVSS
- 13 / 40 · 3.3 / 10
- CISA KEV
- 0 / 30 · Not listed
- EPSS
- 1 / 30 · 4.3%
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.
Is your version affected? Check itNoroxi 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 |
|---|---|---|
| isc | dhcp | cpe:2.3:a:isc:dhcp |
| debian | debian linux | cpe:2.3:o:debian:debian_linux |
| canonical | ubuntu linux | cpe:2.3:o:canonical:ubuntu_linux |
Affected versions
NVD version ranges (for catalog products). Add the product to your stack with a version and matching uses these.
- canonical ubuntu linux11.04
- canonical ubuntu linux11.10
- canonical ubuntu linux12.04
- debian debian linux6.0
- debian debian linux7.0
- isc dhcp4.1-esv
- isc dhcp4.1.0
- isc dhcp4.1.1
+6 more rows
- isc dhcp4.1.2
- isc dhcp4.2.0
- isc dhcp4.2.1
- isc dhcp4.2.2
- isc dhcp4.2.3
- isc dhcp4.2.4
Package-level exposure
OSV and GitHub Advisory data: ecosystem, package and range. SBOM matching uses this table.
| Ecosystem | Package | Affected range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| Debian:12 | isc-dhcp | before 4.2.4-2 | 4.2.4-2 |
| Debian:6.0 | isc-dhcp | before 4.1.1-P1-15+squeeze4 | 4.1.1-P1-15+squeeze4 |
| Debian:6.0 | isc-dhcp | before 4.1.1-P1-15+squeeze5 | 4.1.1-P1-15+squeeze5 |
| Debian:6.0 | isc-dhcp | before 4.1.1-P1-15+squeeze6 | 4.1.1-P1-15+squeeze6 |
| openSUSE:Tumbleweed | dhcp | before 4.3.3.P1-3.1 | 4.3.3.P1-3.1 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:6::client | dhclient | before 12:4.1.1-31.P1.el6_3.1 | 12:4.1.1-31.P1.el6_3.1 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:6::client | dhcp | before 12:4.1.1-31.P1.el6_3.1 | 12:4.1.1-31.P1.el6_3.1 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:6::client | dhcp-common | before 12:4.1.1-31.P1.el6_3.1 | 12:4.1.1-31.P1.el6_3.1 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:6::client | dhcp-debuginfo | before 12:4.1.1-31.P1.el6_3.1 | 12:4.1.1-31.P1.el6_3.1 |
| Red Hat:enterprise_linux:6::client | dhcp-devel | before 12:4.1.1-31.P1.el6_3.1 | 12:4.1.1-31.P1.el6_3.1 |
Same product
isc: all recordsOther highest-scoring records for the same primary product.
- CVE-2011-0997dhclient in ISC DHCP 3.0.x through 4.2.x before 4.2.1-P1, 3.1-ESV before 3.1-ESV-R1, and 4.1-ESV before 4.1-ESV-R2 allows remote attackers…55Plan
- CVE-2017-3144Failure to properly clean up closed OMAPI connections can exhaust available sockets52Plan
- CVE-2015-8605ISC DHCP 4.x before 4.1-ESV-R12-P1, 4.2.x, and 4.3.x before 4.3.3-P1 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (application…51Plan
Published before and after this one in the same product
- ← EarlierCVE-2012-3570Jul 25, 2012 · Buffer overflow in ISC DHCP 4.2.x before 4.2.4-P1, when DHCPv6 mode is enabled, allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service…23Monitor
- ← EarlierCVE-2012-3571Jul 25, 2012 · ISC DHCP 4.1.2 through 4.2.4 and 4.1-ESV before 4.1-ESV-R6 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (infinite loop and CPU…28Monitor
- Later →CVE-2012-3955Sep 14, 2012 · ISC DHCP 4.1.x before 4.1-ESV-R7 and 4.2.x before 4.2.4-P2 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (daemon crash) in…34Monitor
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:isc-dhcp | 4.2.4-2 · Debian:12 | Package registry (OSV) |
| opensuse:dhcp | 4.3.3.P1-3.1 · openSUSE:Tumbleweed | Package registry (OSV) |
| red hat:dhclient | 12:4.1.1-31.P1.el6_3.1 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:6::client | Package registry (OSV) |
| red hat:dhcp | 12:4.1.1-31.P1.el6_3.1 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:6::client | Package registry (OSV) |
| red hat:dhcp-common | 12:4.1.1-31.P1.el6_3.1 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:6::client | Package registry (OSV) |
| red hat:dhcp-debuginfo | 12:4.1.1-31.P1.el6_3.1 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:6::client | Package registry (OSV) |
| red hat:dhcp-devel | 12:4.1.1-31.P1.el6_3.1 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:6::client | 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.
Not on record for this CVE: EPSS history · patch commit or PR link · researcher credit · variant or chain candidate · public bounty program.
Technical details
Attack conditions
- No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.
If successful
- Confidentiality
- none
- Integrity
- none
- Availability
- P · the service can be disrupted
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Confidentiality impact
- None
- Integrity impact
- None
- Availability impact
- P
Weakness class (CWE)
CWE-399 · Resource Management ErrorsCVSS vector
AV:A/AC:L/Au:N/C:N/I:N/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 (1)
- Fix✗ → ✓
For records you follow, these changes also arrive as notifications. →
References
Show all references (10 more)Show less
- rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2012-1141.html
- security.gentoo.org/glsa/glsa-201301-06.xml
- www.debian.org/security/2012/dsa-2516
- www.debian.org/security/2012/dsa-2519
- www.mandriva.com/security/advisories?name=MDVSA-2012:115
- www.mandriva.com/security/advisories?name=MDVSA-2012:116
- www.securityfocus.com/bid/54665
- www.securitytracker.com/id?1027300
- www.ubuntu.com/usn/USN-1519-1
- kb.isc.org/article/AA-00737
Vendor advisories and official records. Exploit/PoC links are deliberately left out.