CVE-2015-4035: scripts/xzgrep.in in xzgrep 5.2.x before 5.2.0, before 5.0.0 does not properly process file names containing s

Q: How do I fix CVE-2015-4035?

xz: upgrade to newer than 4.999.9. Exact commands for each OS are on this page.

Q: Is CVE-2015-4035 being exploited?

CVE-2015-4035 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-2015-4035 affect?

CVE-2015-4035 affects xz. Severity is high (CVSS 7.8). scripts/xzgrep.in in xzgrep 5.2.x before 5.2.0, before 5.0.0 does not properly process file names containing semicolons, which allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code by having a user run xzgrep on a crafted file name.

This month

HIGH 7.8UPGRADE

CVE-2015-4035 is a high-severity flaw (CVSS 7.8) affecting xz. Below: why it ranks where it does, which versions are affected, what to do, and the exact commands.

scripts/xzgrep.in in xzgrep 5.2.x before 5.2.0, before 5.0.0 does not properly process file names containing semicolons, which allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code by having a user run xzgrep on a crafted file name.

Why this priority

High severity

A fixed release or distro patch exists.

Risk facts

CVSS score	7.8 (High)
Attack vector	Local
Attack complexity	Low
Privileges needed	Low
User interaction	None
EPSS exploit chance	1.0% (top 37%)
CISA exploited list	No
Weakness	CWE-20
Published	2017-07-25
Last modified	2026-06-17

Publisher (CNA): MITRE · Vendor: tukaani

Last updated 2026-06-17 · Sources: CVE Program, NVD, CISA KEV, EPSS and vendor advisories · How we score

Am I affected?

Timeline

2017-07-25 18:29 UTCPublished CVE record published
2026-06-17 00:26 UTCUpdated Record last modified

tukaani xz UPGRADE

Affected: <= 4.999.9

Fixed in: newer than 4.999.9

Safe to downgrade to: no unaffected older release

1. Check installed version

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

2. UPGRADE to newer than 4.999.9 (Debian / Ubuntu)

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

2. UPGRADE (RHEL / Amazon Linux / Fedora)

sudo dnf upgrade xz

Note

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

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-2015-4035?

xz: upgrade to newer than 4.999.9. Exact commands for each OS are on this page.

Is CVE-2015-4035 being exploited?

CVE-2015-4035 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-2015-4035 affect?

CVE-2015-4035 affects xz. Severity is high (CVSS 7.8). scripts/xzgrep.in in xzgrep 5.2.x before 5.2.0, before 5.0.0 does not properly process file names containing semicolons, which allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code by having a user run xzgrep on a crafted file name.

How urgent is CVE-2015-4035?

Priority 43/100. High severity

Related CVEs

CVE-2022-1271 HIGH 8.8 UPGRADE DOWNGRADE An arbitrary file write vulnerability was found in GNU gzip's zgrep utility
CVE-2026-34743 MEDIUM 5.3 UPGRADE XZ Utils provide a general-purpose data-compression library plus command-line tools
CVE-2024-3094 CRITICAL 10.0 DOWNGRADE Malicious code was discovered in the upstream tarballs of xz, starting with version 5.6.0
CVE-2021-29482 HIGH 7.5 UPGRADE xz is a compression and decompression library focusing on the xz format completely written in Go
CVE-2020-22916 MEDIUM 5.5 DOWNGRADE An issue discovered in XZ 5.2.5 allows attackers to cause a denial of service via decompression of a crafted f

References

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