Debian LinuxOperating system · Debian
CVE-2017-16899
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 · uneditedAn array index error in the fig2dev program in Xfig 3.2.6a allows remote attackers to cause a denial-of-service attack or information disclosure with a maliciously crafted Fig format file, related to a negative font value in dev/gentikz.c, and the read_textobject functions in read.c and read1_3.c.
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 confidenceA negative array index vulnerability exists in fig2dev (part of Xfig 3.2.6a) where a maliciously crafted Fig format file can trigger an out-of-bounds array access through negative font values. The vulnerability affects the gentikz.c driver and the read_textobject functions in read.c and read1_3.c, potentially allowing denial of service or information disclosure via memory read beyond array bounds.
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
Debian LinuxOperating system
= 8.0= 9.0= 3.2.6aCVSS 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
- Local
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges
- None
- User interaction
- Required
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- None
- Availability
- High
CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/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.
-
Check installed Xfig or fig2dev versionRun 'fig2dev -V' or 'xfig -version' to get the version numberAffected if Version is 3.2.6a or if the version matches Debian 8.0 or 9.0 packages containing the vulnerable code
-
Identify if fig2dev is used to convert Fig filesCheck if any scripts, workflows, or automated processes invoke fig2dev to process .fig input filesAffected if fig2dev is used to convert Fig files from untrusted sources
-
Verify if the gentikz driver is in useLook for fig2dev command invocations with '-L tikz' or '-L gentikz' option, or check read.c/read1_3.c source if compiling custom versionAffected if The gentikz output driver is enabled or the vulnerable read_textobject functions are called during Fig file processing
-
Confirm Fig file input sourceAudit logs or workflow documentation for Fig file processing from external or untrusted sourcesAffected if The environment processes Fig files that could originate from untrusted or malicious sources containing negative font values
You are affected if you run Xfig/fig2dev version 3.2.6a or the Debian 8.0/9.0 packages AND process Fig files from potentially untrusted sources using the gentikz driver or read_textobject functions.
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 dataUpgrade to a patched version of Xfig that includes bounds validation on font indices before array access. If no patch is available, implement input validation to reject Fig files containing negative font values and consider sandboxing the fig2dev tool.
Fix this in Debian Linux
Scoped from the published advisory
- Consultation3.0 h
- Implementation6.0 h
- Testing5.0 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 $4,752.
Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2017-16899 — 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-2017-16899 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