PatchTheCVECVE-2005-1279: tcpdump 3.8.3 and earlier allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (infinite loop) via a crafted (
CVE-2005-1279 is a medium-severity flaw (CVSS 5.0) affecting tcpdump. Below: why it ranks where it does, which versions are affected, what to do, and the exact commands.
tcpdump 3.8.3 and earlier allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (infinite loop) via a crafted (1) BGP packet, which is not properly handled by RT_ROUTING_INFO, or (2) LDP packet, which is not properly handled by the ldp_print function.
Why this priority
- EPSS top 3%: very likely to be exploited
- Public exploit reference
A fixed release or distro patch exists.
Risk facts
| CVSS score | 5.0 (Medium) |
| EPSS exploit chance | 18.7% (top 3%) |
| CISA exploited list | No |
| Published | 2005-05-02 |
| Last modified | 2026-06-16 |
Last updated 2026-06-16 · Sources: CVE Program, NVD, CISA KEV, EPSS and vendor advisories · How we score
Am I affected?
Timeline
- Published CVE record published
- Updated Record last modified
Public exploits and detection
Public code exists for this CVE. Treat unpatched systems as at risk, and only run PoCs in a lab.
- Exploit-DB: Tcpdump 3.8.x - 'ldp_print' Infinite Loop Denial of Service
- Exploit-DB: Tcpdump 3.8.x - 'rt_routing_info' Infinite Loop Denial of Service
Scores and fixes here are computed automatically from those and other public sources. Confirm with the vendor advisory before changing production systems.
Quick answers
How do I fix CVE-2005-1279?
tcpdump: upgrade to newer than 3.8.3. Exact commands for each OS are on this page.
Is CVE-2005-1279 being exploited?
CVE-2005-1279 is not on the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities list at the time of the last update. Check again, as this can change.
What does CVE-2005-1279 affect?
CVE-2005-1279 affects tcpdump. Severity is medium (CVSS 5.0). tcpdump 3.8.3 and earlier allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (infinite loop) via a crafted (1) BGP packet, which is not properly handled by RT_ROUTING_INFO, or (2) LDP packet, which is not properly handled by the ldp_print
How urgent is CVE-2005-1279?
Priority 47/100. EPSS top 3%: very likely to be exploited; Public exploit reference
Related CVEs
- CVE-2018-16301 HIGH 7.8 UPGRADE The command-line argument parser in tcpdump before 4.99.0 has a buffer overflow in tcpdump.c:read_infile()
- CVE-1999-1024 HIGH 7.5 DOWNGRADE ip_print procedure in Tcpdump 3.4a allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service via a packet with a ze
- CVE-2000-1026 HIGH 10.0 DOWNGRADE Multiple buffer overflows in LBNL tcpdump allow remote attackers to execute arbitrary commands.
- CVE-2023-1801 MEDIUM 6.5 DOWNGRADE The SMB protocol decoder in tcpdump version 4.99.3 can perform an out-of-bounds write when decoding a crafted
- CVE-2020-8037 HIGH 7.5 DOWNGRADE MITIGATE The ppp decapsulator in tcpdump 4.9.3 can be convinced to allocate a large amount of memory.