Description
Multiple heap-based buffer underflows in the readPostBody function in cgiutil.c in mapserv in MapServer 4.x through 4.10.4 and 5.x before 5.4.2 allow remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via (1) a crafted Content-Length HTTP header or (2) a large HTTP request, related to an integer overflow that triggers a heap-based buffer overflow. NOTE: this issue reportedly exists because of an incomplete fix for CVE-2009-0840.
Fixed in Linux distributions
Distributions backport fixes, so the version that fixes this vulnerability differs per release — upgrade to at least the version shown. From the distributions' security trackers and advisories.
Debian
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Debian 14 | mapserver | 5.4.2-1 | — |
| Debian 13 | mapserver | 5.4.2-1 | — |
| Debian 12 | mapserver | 5.4.2-1 | — |
| Debian 5.0 | mapserver | 5.0.3-3+lenny4 | DSA-1914-1 |
| Debian 4.0 | mapserver | 4.10.0-5.1+etch4 | DSA-1914-1 |
Advisories 1
- DSA-1914-1 mapserver - serveral vulnerabilities Debian Security (DSA / DLA) · Mar 9, 2026
References
- [oss-security] 20090701 Re: incorrect upstream fix for CVE-2009-0840 (mapserver) mailing-list
- http://security.debian.org/pool/updates/main/m/mapserver/mapserver_4.10.0-5.1+etch4.diff.gz
- http://trac.osgeo.org/mapserver/browser/tags/rel-5-4-2/mapserver/HISTORY.TXT
- [oss-security] 20090701 Re: incorrect upstream fix for CVE-2009-0840 (mapserver) mailing-list
- DSA-1914 vendor-advisory
- http://trac.osgeo.org/mapserver/ticket/2943
- http://security.debian.org/pool/updates/main/m/mapserver/mapserver_5.0.3-3+lenny4.diff.gz