Description
The process_bin_delete function in memcached.c in memcached 1.4.4 and other versions before 1.4.17, when running in verbose mode, allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (segmentation fault) via a request to delete a key, which does not account for the lack of a null terminator in the key and triggers a buffer over-read when printing to stderr.
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 | memcached | 1.4.13-0.2 | — |
| Debian 13 | memcached | 1.4.13-0.2 | — |
| Debian 12 | memcached | 1.4.13-0.2 | — |
SUSE
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| SUSE OpenStack Cloud 7 | memcached | 1.4.39-3.3.2 | SUSE-SU-2018:0778-1 |
| SUSE OpenStack Cloud 6 | memcached | 1.4.39-3.3.1 | SUSE-SU-2018:0807-1 |
| SUSE Enterprise Storage 4 | memcached | 1.4.39-3.3.2 | SUSE-SU-2018:0778-1 |
openSUSE
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| openSUSE Tumbleweed | memcached | 1.4.33-1.1 | openSUSE-SU-2024:10021-1 |
Advisories 3
- SUSE-SU-2018:0778-1 Security update for memcached SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2018:0807-1 Security update for memcached SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- openSUSE-SU-2024:10021-1 memcached-1.4.33-1.1 on GA media SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
References
- https://code.google.com/p/memcached/issues/attachmentText?id=306&aid=3060004000&name=0001-Fix-buffer-overrun-when-logging-key-to-delete-in-bin.patch&token=3GEzHThBL5cxmUrsYANkW03RrNY%3A1358179503096
- [oss-security] 20130114 CVE request: memcached DoS when printing out keys to be deleted in verbose mode mailing-list
- https://code.google.com/p/memcached/wiki/ReleaseNotes1417
- [oss-security] 20130114 Re: CVE request: memcached DoS when printing out keys to be deleted in verbose mode mailing-list
- USN-2080-1 vendor-advisory
- https://code.google.com/p/memcached/issues/detail?id=306
- 56183 third-party-advisory
- 64978 vdb-entry
- https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=895054