CVE-2014-5461: Buffer overflow in the vararg functions in ldo.c in Lua 5.1 through 5.2.x before 5.2.3 allows context-dependent attackers to cause a denial…
Noroxi assessment
Priority: Monitor (action score 24/100)
- 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: 12% (FIRST EPSS); higher than 96.1% of all records.
- No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.
- Fixed version: lua5.1 (Debian:12) 5.1.5-7; lua5.2 (Debian:12) 5.2.3-1; lua5.1 (Debian:6.0) 5.1.4-5+deb6u1.
Low priority for now. Upgrade to lua5.1 (Debian:12) 5.1.5-7; lua5.2 (Debian:12) 5.2.3-1; lua5.1 (Debian:6.0) 5.1.4-5+deb6u1 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
Buffer overflow in the vararg functions in ldo.c in Lua 5.1 through 5.2.x before 5.2.3 allows context-dependent attackers to cause a denial of service (crash) via a small number of arguments to a function with a large number of fixed arguments.
- Published
- Sep 4, 2014
- Updated
- Jun 16, 2026
- EPSS
- 12.0% · 96th percentile
- CWE
- CWE-119
Report tools
Action score
24
Low priority for now.
- CVSS
- 20 / 40 · 5.0 / 10
- CISA KEV
- 0 / 30 · Not listed
- EPSS
- 4 / 30 · 12.0%
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 |
|---|---|---|
| lua | lua | cpe:2.3:a:lua:lua |
| opensuse | opensuse | cpe:2.3:o:opensuse:opensuse |
| canonical | ubuntu linux | cpe:2.3:o:canonical:ubuntu_linux |
| debian | debian linux | cpe:2.3:o:debian:debian_linux |
| mageia | mageia | cpe:2.3:o:mageia:mageia |
Affected versions
NVD version ranges (for catalog products). Add the product to your stack with a version and matching uses these.
- canonical ubuntu linux12.04
- canonical ubuntu linux14.04
- debian debian linux7.0
- lua lua5.1
- lua lua5.1.1
- lua lua5.1.2
- lua lua5.1.3
- lua lua5.1.4
+8 more rows
- lua lua5.1.5
- lua lua5.2.0
- lua lua5.2.1
- lua lua5.2.2
- mageia mageia3.0
- mageia mageia4.0
- opensuse opensuse12.3
- opensuse opensuse13.1
Package-level exposure
OSV and GitHub Advisory data: ecosystem, package and range. SBOM matching uses this table.
| Ecosystem | Package | Affected range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| Debian:12 | lua5.1 | before 5.1.5-7 | 5.1.5-7 |
| Debian:12 | lua5.2 | before 5.2.3-1 | 5.2.3-1 |
| Debian:6.0 | lua5.1 | before 5.1.4-5+deb6u1 | 5.1.4-5+deb6u1 |
| Debian:7 | lua5.1 | before 5.1.5-4+deb7u1 | 5.1.5-4+deb7u1 |
| Debian:7 | lua5.2 | before 5.2.1-3+deb7u1 | 5.2.1-3+deb7u1 |
| openSUSE:Tumbleweed | moarvm | before 2025.05-1.1 | 2025.05-1.1 |
Same product
lua: all recordsOther highest-scoring records for the same primary product.
- CVE-2020-15889Lua 5.4.0 has a getobjname heap-based buffer over-read because youngcollection in lgc.c uses markold for an insufficient number of list…40Plan
- CVE-2022-28805singlevar in lparser.c in Lua from (including) 5.4.0 up to (excluding) 5.4.4 lacks a certain luaK_exp2anyregup call, leading to a…37Monitor
- CVE-2020-15888Lua through 5.4.0 mishandles the interaction between stack resizes and garbage collection, leading to a heap-based buffer overflow…36Monitor
Published before and after this one in the same product
- Later →CVE-2019-6706Jan 23, 2019 · Lua 5.3.5 has a use-after-free in lua_upvaluejoin in lapi.c.35Monitor
- Later →CVE-2020-15945Jul 24, 2020 · Lua 5.4.0 (fixed in 5.4.1) has a segmentation fault in changedline in ldebug.c (e.g., when called by luaG_traceexec) because it incorrectly…22Monitor
- Later →CVE-2020-24342Aug 13, 2020 · Lua through 5.4.0 allows a stack redzone cross in luaO_pushvfstring because a protection mechanism wrongly calls luaD_callnoyield twice in…31Monitor
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:lua5.1 | 5.1.5-7 · Debian:12 | Package registry (OSV) |
| debian:lua5.2 | 5.2.3-1 · Debian:12 | Package registry (OSV) |
| opensuse:moarvm | 2025.05-1.1 · openSUSE:Tumbleweed | 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-119 · Improper Restriction of Operations within the Bounds of a Memory BufferCVSS vector
AV:N/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.
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 (1)
- Fix✗ → ✓
For records you follow, these changes also arrive as notifications. →
References
Show all references (13 more)Show less
- lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-updates/2014-09/msg00030.html
- secunia.com/advisories/59890
- secunia.com/advisories/60869
- secunia.com/advisories/61411
- www.debian.org/security/2014/dsa-3015
- www.debian.org/security/2014/dsa-3016
- www.lua.org/bugs.html#5.2.2-1
- www.mandriva.com/security/advisories?name=MDVSA-2015:144
- www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2014/08/27/2
- www.securityfocus.com/bid/69342
- www.ubuntu.com/usn/USN-2338-1
- security.gentoo.org/glsa/201701-53
- security.gentoo.org/glsa/202305-23
Vendor advisories and official records. Exploit/PoC links are deliberately left out.