ArrowApplication · Apache
CVE-2019-12408
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 · uneditedIt was discovered that the C++ implementation (which underlies the R, Python and Ruby implementations) of Apache Arrow 0.14.0 to 0.14.1 had a uninitialized memory bug when building arrays with null values in some cases. This can lead to uninitialized memory being unintentionally shared if Arrow Arrays are transmitted over the wire (for instance with Flight) or persisted in the streaming IPC and file formats.
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 confidenceAn uninitialized memory bug exists in Apache Arrow 0.14.0-0.14.1's C++ implementation (affecting R, Python, Ruby bindings) where building arrays with null values can cause uninitialized memory contents to be included in array data. When these arrays are transmitted over network protocols (like Flight) or persisted to disk (IPC/file formats), this can lead to unintentional disclosure of sensitive memory contents.
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
ArrowApplication
>= 0.14.0, <= 0.14.1CVSS 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
- None
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality
- None
- Integrity
- None
- Availability
- High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/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.
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Identify Apache Arrow C++ library versionQuery the installed Arrow C++ library version using your package manager or by checking the library metadata (e.g., pkg-config --modversion arrow, or inspect the shared library file version)Affected if The version is >= 0.14.0 and <= 0.14.1
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Identify Python pyarrow binding versionRun 'pip show pyarrow' or 'python -c import pyarrow; print(pyarrow.__version__)' to retrieve the pyarrow versionAffected if pyarrow version corresponds to Arrow C++ 0.14.0-0.14.1 (typically shows 0.14.0 or 0.14.1)
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Identify R arrow package versionRun 'packageVersion("arrow")' in R or check the installed package metadataAffected if R arrow package version corresponds to Arrow 0.14.0-0.14.1
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Identify Ruby arrow gem versionRun 'gem list arrow' or check the Gemfile.lock for the arrow gem versionAffected if Ruby arrow gem version corresponds to Arrow 0.14.0-0.14.1
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Verify if data is transmitted or persistedInspect application code and configuration to determine if Arrow arrays containing null values are written to IPC files, Arrow files, or transmitted over Flight RPCAffected if The vulnerability is exploitable only when arrays with null values are written to disk (IPC/file formats) or sent over network protocols like Flight
You are affected if your environment has Apache Arrow 0.14.0-0.14.1 installed (C++ or any bindings) AND you transmit arrays over network protocols or persist them to disk.
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 Apache Arrow 0.14.2 or later which contains the fix. Identify all systems using affected versions and test to ensure the upgrade does not break functionality.
Fix this in Arrow
Scoped from the published advisory
- Consultation4.0 h
- Implementation8.0 h
- Testing8.0 h
- Review / QA4.0 h
An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $6,656.
Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2019-12408 — 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-2019-12408 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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