CVE-2012-4552
Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.
NVD · uneditedStack-based buffer overflow in the error function in ssg/ssgParser.cxx in PLIB 1.8.5 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a crafted 3d model file that triggers a long error message, as demonstrated by a .ase file.
Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.
dbcve analysis · high confidenceStack-based buffer overflow in the error function in ssg/ssgParser.cxx in PLIB 1.8.5 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a crafted 3d model file (specifically .ase files) that triggers a long error message without proper bounds checking.
Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.
Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.
NVD · CPE data= 1.8.5CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.
From the vector- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- M
- Authentication
- None
- Confidentiality
- Partial
- Integrity
- Partial
- Availability
- Partial
AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P
Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.
dbcve checksWork through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.
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Identify if PLIB is installedSearch for PLIB library files or packages on the system using package managers (dpkg, rpm, yum) or file system searches for libplib or plib-related filesAffected if PLIB library is present on the system
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Verify the installed PLIB versionUse package queries (dpkg -l, rpm -qi) or check library version files; the affected version is specifically 1.8.5Affected if The installed version is exactly 1.8.5 (note: other versions may not be affected by this specific CVE)
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Identify applications using PLIB's ssg componentSearch for binaries or applications that link against libssg (the Simple Scene Graph library component) using ldd or by inspecting application dependenciesAffected if Applications using the ssg (Simple Scene Graph) module from PLIB are present
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Check for .ase file processing capabilityInspect application functionality or configuration to determine if the application parses or loads 3D model files, particularly .ase (ASCII Scene Export) filesAffected if Applications process or load .ase 3D model files using PLIB's parser
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Examine ssg/ssgParser.cxx for vulnerable code pathIf source code is available, verify the error function in ssg/ssgParser.cxx contains the unbounded buffer handling; if binary-only, check if the PLIB library contains the ssgParser codeAffected if The vulnerable error function in ssg/ssgParser.cxx is executed when parsing .ase files
A system is affected if PLIB version 1.8.5 is installed AND applications use the ssg component to parse .ase 3D model files, enabling the stack-based buffer overflow in the error function.
Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.
Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.
From vendor dataValidate and sanitize input from 3d model files before processing; implement proper bounds checking in the error function to prevent overflow; update to patched version of PLIB if available.
- Consultation4.0 h
- Implementation8.0 h
- Testing4.0 h
- Review / QA3.0 h
An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $5,408.
Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2012-4552 — or any other known-vulnerable package — straight from your lock files. Free and open source; it runs locally and uploads nothing.
References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.
Primary sourcesPractitioner notes
ContributedPeer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2012-4552 in production — separate from our analysis above.
The advisory tells you what broke. It rarely tells you what actually worked. If you’ve dealt with this one, that detail is what the next engineer is searching for.
- The version that genuinely resolved it — not the one the vendor claimed
- A config change or rule that shut the vector down
- A gotcha in the upgrade path that cost you an afternoon
No notes yet
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- Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
- Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
- No weaponised exploit code, or anything meant to cause harm
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