CVE-2017-6842
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 · uneditedThe ColorChanger::GetColorFromStack function in colorchanger.cpp in PoDoFo 0.9.5 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (NULL pointer dereference) via a crafted 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 · moderate confidencePoDoFo 0.9.5 contains a NULL pointer dereference vulnerability in the ColorChanger::GetColorFromStack function in colorchanger.cpp. When processing a crafted PDF file with maliciously constructed color stack data, the function attempts to dereference a NULL pointer, causing a denial of service condition.
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= 0.9.5CVSS 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
- Local
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges
- None
- User interaction
- Required
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality
- None
- Integrity
- None
- Availability
- High
CVSS:3.0/AV:L/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 PoDoFo installation and versionCheck if PoDoFo library is installed by searching for podofo files, checking package managers, or inspecting linked libraries. Look for version indicators in library filenames, metadata, or binary information.Affected if PoDoFo version 0.9.5 is found installed or linked to the application.
-
Locate vulnerable source fileSearch for colorchanger.cpp in the PoDoFo source code or installed headers. This file contains the ColorChanger::GetColorFromStack function where the vulnerability exists.Affected if The file colorchanger.cpp with the GetColorFromStack function is present in the environment.
-
Verify the vulnerable code patternInspect colorchanger.cpp for the GetColorFromStack function implementation. Look for code that dereferences a pointer from the color stack without NULL validation.Affected if The GetColorFromStack function lacks proper NULL pointer checks before dereferencing stack data.
-
Check for PDF processing usageIdentify applications or services that use PoDoFo for PDF processing. Review logs or configurations to see if PoDoFo is actively used to parse PDF files.Affected if Applications or services process PDF files using the PoDoFo library.
You are affected if PoDoFo 0.9.5 is installed and is used to process PDF files, particularly from untrusted sources.
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 dataAvoid opening untrusted or unknown PDF files with PoDoFo; apply any vendor patches or updates to PoDoFo library that address this NULL pointer dereference in the color handling code.
- Consultation2.0 h
- Implementation3.0 h
- Testing3.0 h
- Review / QA1.0 h
An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $2,512.
Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2017-6842 — 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-2017-6842 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