CVE-2012-5965
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 unique_service_name function in ssdp/ssdp_server.c in the SSDP parser in the portable SDK for UPnP Devices (aka libupnp, formerly the Intel SDK for UPnP devices) 1.3.1 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a long DeviceType (aka urn device) field in a UDP packet.
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 unique_service_name function in ssdp/ssdp_server.c in the SSDP parser of libupnp 1.3.1 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a long DeviceType (urn device) field in a UDP packet. The vulnerability occurs during SSDP discovery parsing of incoming UDP packets.
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= 1.3.1CVSS 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
- Low
- Authentication
- None
- Confidentiality
- Complete
- Integrity
- Complete
- Availability
- Complete
AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C
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 libupnp versionRun 'pkg-config --modversion libupnp' or check the library file version with 'ldd --version' or inspect the binary with 'strings' for version strings. On systems with rpm, run 'rpm -q libupnp'; on debian-based systems, run 'dpkg -l libupnp'. Check /usr/lib/libupnp.so or similar path for the installed library.Affected if The installed version is exactly 1.3.1 (not 1.3.1a or later, not 1.4.x, not 1.6.x)
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Verify SSDP service is activeCheck if a service using libupnp SSDP is running. Look for processes: 'ps aux | grep -i upnp' or 'ps aux | grep -i ssdp'. Check if UDP port 1900 is bound: 'netstat -uanp | grep 1900' or 'ss -uanp | grep 1900'.Affected if A service using libupnp SSDP parser is running and listening on UDP port 1900
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Confirm network exposureCheck if UDP port 1900 is exposed externally. Run 'iptables -L -n | grep 1900' or 'nmap -sU -p 1900 localhost' to verify the port is accessible. Review firewall rules for inbound UDP port 1900.Affected if UDP port 1900 is accessible from untrusted networks or the port is bound to 0.0.0.0 rather than 127.0.0.1 only
A system is affected if libupnp version 1.3.1 is installed AND a service using the SSDP parser is running with network accessibility on UDP port 1900.
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.
dbcve · scopedUpgrade libupnp to version 1.3.1a or later which contains the fix for this buffer overflow. If immediate upgrade is not possible, block external SSDP traffic (UDP port 1900) at the firewall to reduce attack surface.
pupnp 1.6.19 or later stable release (the current stable branch contains fixes for this and related CVEs)
- 1. Identify all systems and applications using libupnp/Portable SDK for UPnP Devices version 1.3.1
- 2. Download the latest stable release of pupnp (Portable UPnP) from the official source
- 3. Replace the vulnerable libupnp library (1.3.1) with the updated version
- 4. Rebuild and recompile any applications statically linked against the old library
- 5. Restart all services and daemons that depend on the UPnP library
- 6. Verify the version of the updated library matches the latest stable release
Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.
- Consultation4.0 h
- Implementation8.0 h
- Testing6.0 h
- Review / QA2.0 h
An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $5,600.
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Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2012-5965 — 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-2012-5965 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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- Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
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