CVE-2017-12923
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 · uneditedOLEStream::WriteVT_LPSTR in olestrm.cpp in libfpx 1.3.1_p6 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (NULL pointer dereference) via a crafted fpx image.
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 · moderate confidenceA NULL pointer dereference vulnerability exists in OLEStream::WriteVT_LPSTR in libfpx 1.3.1_p6 when parsing specially crafted FlashPix (fpx) image files. The function fails to validate a pointer before dereferencing it, causing a denial of service when processing a malicious fpx image.
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
- Privileges
- None
- User interaction
- Required
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality
- None
- Integrity
- None
- Availability
- High
CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
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.
-
Identify if libfpx is installedSearch for libfpx libraries on the system. On Linux: 'find /usr -name "*fpx*" -o -name "*libfpx*"' or check package manager 'dpkg -l | grep fpx' or 'rpm -qa | grep fpx'. On Windows, check installed programs or search for fpx.dll or libfpx.dll in system directories.Affected if libfpx library version 1.3.1 is found on the system
-
Determine the exact libfpx versionIf a library file is found, run 'strings <library_path> | grep -i version' or check the file metadata. Compare the version string to the affected version 1.3.1.Affected if The installed version is exactly 1.3.1 or falls within the 1.3.1 family without the patch
-
Check for applications processing FlashPix (fpx) filesSearch for applications that handle .fpx file extensions. Review application logs or configuration for fpx file processing. Use 'grep -r "\.fpx" /etc' or monitor file access with audit tools if fpx files are being opened.Affected if Any application on the system is configured to process or parse FlashPix (.fpx) image files using libfpx
-
Inspect network logs or file access for fpx inputReview application logs, proxy logs, or file system access logs for recent .fpx file processing events. Check upload directories or file processing queues for uploaded fpx images.Affected if There is evidence of .fpx files being processed by software that links against the vulnerable libfpx library
The system is affected if libfpx version 1.3.1 is present AND any application uses it to process FlashPix (fpx) image files, allowing specially crafted fpx files to trigger the NULL pointer dereference in OLEStream::WriteVT_LPSTR.
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 dataUpdate libfpx to a patched version that adds proper NULL pointer validation in the WriteVT_LPSTR function, or if no patch is available, implement input validation/filtering for fpx files at the application layer.
- Consultation3.0 h
- Implementation4.0 h
- Testing6.0 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 $4,416.
Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2017-12923 — 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-2017-12923 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
Be the first to add a field note for this CVE — a mitigation you’ve verified, a version caveat, or a link to a working fix. Sign in above to contribute.
A place for practitioners to share what actually worked: a mitigation you’ve tested, a configuration change, a version- or environment-specific caveat, or a link to a verified patch. The most useful notes rise to the top as peers upvote them, so the signal stays high.
- 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
- No spam, self-promotion, credentials, or personal data