Heap-based Buffer OverflowWeakness · CWE-122

CVE-2025-14905

HIGH · 7.2 CVSS v3.1 Published 2026-02-23

Mitigation only

No fix yet — a mitigation exists. There is no fixed release. A documented workaround reduces exposure in the meantime.

See remediation →

78/100

Remediation priority · High

Remotely reachable Zero-click

Official description

NVD · unedited

A flaw was found in the 389-ds-base server. A heap buffer overflow vulnerability exists in the `schema_attr_enum_callback` function within the `schema.c` file. This occurs because the code incorrectly calculates the buffer size by summing alias string lengths without accounting for additional formatting characters. When a large number of aliases are processed, this oversight can lead to a heap overflow, potentially allowing a remote attacker to cause a Denial of Service (DoS) or achieve Remote Code Execution (RCE).

Technical summary

dbcve analysis · high confidence

A heap buffer overflow vulnerability exists in the 389-ds-base Directory Server's `schema_attr_enum_callback` function in schema.c. The code incorrectly calculates buffer size by summing alias string lengths without accounting for additional formatting characters (e.g., separators, terminators). When a large number of aliases are processed, the undersized buffer leads to heap overflow, potentially enabling remote code execution or denial of service.

MitigationApply the vendor patch for CVE-2025-14905. Until patched, restrict network access to the Directory Server and implement input validation on alias attributes to limit the number and length of aliases processed.

Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.

CVSS breakdown

From the vector

Attack vector: Network
Complexity: Low
Privileges: High
User interaction: None
Scope: Unchanged
Confidentiality: High
Integrity: High
Availability: High

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Am I affected?

dbcve checks

Work through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.

Verify 389-ds-base is installed

Check for the presence of the Directory Server package: rpm -qa | grep -i '389-ds-base' or dpkg -l | grep -i '389-ds-base'

Affected if The package is not found, meaning the product is not present
Determine installed version

Run 'rpm -q 389-ds-base' or 'dpkg -s 389-ds-base' to retrieve the installed version number

Affected if The version is unpatched and matches or precedes the vulnerable release where the schema.c buffer calculation flaw exists
Confirm schema replication or sync is enabled

Check dsconf instance config for schema replication settings: dsconf <instance> replication schema --get or review cn=schema,cn=config in LDIF for replication agreements involving schema

Affected if Schema replication or synchronized schemas are enabled, as the vulnerable code path in schema_attr_enum_callback processes alias attributes during schema operations
Inspect schema for alias attributes

Export the current schema: dsconf <instance> schema export > schema.ldif. Search for attributeTypes containing 'alias' or 'ALIASE' definitions

Affected if The schema contains alias-related attributeType definitions that would trigger the vulnerable buffer calculation code path
Review directory server logs for crashes

Examine /var/log/dirsrv/slapd-<instance>/errors for segfaults, aborts, or heap corruption indicators occurring during schema operations

Affected if Heap-related crashes are logged during schema or replication activity, indicating potential exploitation

A user is affected if 389-ds-base is installed with an unpatched version and the server uses schema replication or contains alias attributes in its schema configuration.

Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.

Remediation

From vendor data

Mitigation available No clean upgrade yet — mitigate in the meantime

Mitigation

Apply the vendor patch for CVE-2025-14905. Until patched, restrict network access to the Directory Server and implement input validation on alias attributes to limit the number and length of aliases processed.

Have this fixed Scoped from the published advisory

Consultation4.0 h
Implementation4.0 h
Testing8.0 h
Review / QA3.0 h

19.0 hours of engineering $3,260

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Scan for this in your stack

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References

Primary sources

Practitioner notes

Contributed

Peer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2025-14905 in production — separate from our analysis above.

Notes0 Guidelines

Know something about CVE-2025-14905?

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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What this is

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.

What belongs here

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

At a glance

A fix existsA vendor remedy is published

Severity 7.2 High

Exploit likelihood EPSS, next 30 days 1.1%

Remediation

A high-priority fix

Have this fixed 19 hrs · Moderate

Typical engagement from $3,260

Get a fix See the full breakdown ↓

A high-priority vulnerability. Send your environment and a specialist will scope CVE-2025-14905 and return a fixed quote and timeline.

You’ll deal with our team directly and deploy the reviewed fix to staging first — never straight to production.

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.

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.

CVSS 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.

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.

Check your environment

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.

Scan for this in your stack

References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.

Practitioner notes

No notes yet

Official description

Technical summary

CVSS breakdown

Am I affected?

Remediation

References