CVE-2005-1280: The rsvp_print function in tcpdump 3.9.1 and earlier allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (inf

Q: How do I fix CVE-2005-1280?

tcpdump: upgrade to newer than 3.9.1. Exact commands for each OS are on this page.

Q: Is CVE-2005-1280 being exploited?

CVE-2005-1280 is not on the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities list at the time of the last update. Check again, as this can change.

Q: What does CVE-2005-1280 affect?

CVE-2005-1280 affects tcpdump. Severity is medium (CVSS 5.0). The rsvp_print function in tcpdump 3.9.1 and earlier allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (infinite loop) via a crafted RSVP packet of length 4.

Q: How urgent is CVE-2005-1280?

Priority 46/100. EPSS top 4%: very likely to be exploited; Public exploit reference

This week

MEDIUM 5.0UPGRADE

CVE-2005-1280 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.

The rsvp_print function in tcpdump 3.9.1 and earlier allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (infinite loop) via a crafted RSVP packet of length 4.

Why this priority

EPSS top 4%: 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	10.2% (top 4%)
CISA exploited list	No
Published	2005-05-02
Last modified	2026-06-16

Publisher (CNA): Red Hat, Inc. · Vendor: lbl

Last updated 2026-06-16 · Sources: CVE Program, NVD, CISA KEV, EPSS and vendor advisories · How we score

Am I affected?

Timeline

2005-05-02 04:00 UTCPublished CVE record published
2026-06-16 22:12 UTCUpdated Record last modified

lbl tcpdump UPGRADE

Affected: <= 3.9.1

Fixed in: newer than 3.9.1

Safe to downgrade to: no unaffected older release

1. Check installed version

apt-cache policy tcpdump || rpm -q tcpdump || tcpdump --version

2. UPGRADE to newer than 3.9.1 (Debian / Ubuntu)

sudo apt update && sudo apt install --only-upgrade tcpdump

2. UPGRADE (RHEL / Amazon Linux / Fedora)

sudo dnf upgrade tcpdump

Note

Distros often backport fixes without changing the version number. Confirm with the distro advisory or changelog.

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: Ethereal 0.10.10 / tcpdump 3.9.1 - 'rsvp_print' Infinite Loop Denial of Service

Verify at the official source NVD · CVE Program · Report a problem with this page
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-2005-1280?

tcpdump: upgrade to newer than 3.9.1. Exact commands for each OS are on this page.

Is CVE-2005-1280 being exploited?

CVE-2005-1280 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-2005-1280 affect?

CVE-2005-1280 affects tcpdump. Severity is medium (CVSS 5.0). The rsvp_print function in tcpdump 3.9.1 and earlier allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (infinite loop) via a crafted RSVP packet of length 4.

How urgent is CVE-2005-1280?

Priority 46/100. EPSS top 4%: 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.

References

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