Low

Format String Vulnerability in gedit Error Dialogs

IdentifiersCVE-2005-1686CWE-134

CVE-2005-1686 is an uncontrolled format string vulnerability in gedit error dialogs triggered while opening a file for editing. Error messages that incorporate the filename can be interpreted as format strings rather than displayed as data. gedit 2.10.2 is affected, and versions preceding 2.10.2 may also be vulnerable. A specially crafted filename can crash the application; reporting also indicates the flaw may permit arbitrary code execution in the context of the gedit user.

For your environment

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ANALYST BRIEF

Impact, mitigation & remediation

What it means. What to do now. Patch path, mitigations, and the assume-compromise checklist.

Impact

What an attacker gets, and what they’ve been doing with it.

Successful exploitation can cause a gedit application crash, resulting in denial of service. The vulnerability was also reported as potentially allowing arbitrary code execution when a user opens a file with a specially crafted filename, which could compromise the affected user's system.

Mitigation

If you can’t patch tonight, do this now.

Until patched, do not open files with suspicious or untrusted names in gedit. Restrict exposure to untrusted files and avoid opening files obtained from unknown sources.

Remediation

Patch, then assume compromise.

Upgrade to gedit 2.10.3 or later. Apply the relevant patched gedit package and all available security updates supplied by the operating-system distribution.

PUBLIC EXPLOITS

Exploits

No valid public exploits. Mallory filtered out 1 candidate as fakes, detection scripts, or README-only repos.

VALID 0 / 1 TOTALView more in app

All candidate exploits were filtered out by Mallory's validation.

EXPOSURE SURFACE

Affected products & vendors

Products and vendors Mallory has correlated with this vulnerability. Open in Mallory to drill down to specific CPE configurations and version ranges.

VendorProductType

GnomeGeditapplication

Vendor-confirmed product mapping. Mallory continuously reconciles this list against your asset inventory.

ACTIVITY FEED

Recent activity

2 sources tracked across advisories and community write-ups. News coverage will land here when it surfaces.

2 SOURCESView more in app

No news coverage yet. Advisories and community discussion only.

What this page doesn’t show

The version that knows your environment.

This page is what’s public. Mallory adds the parts that aren’t: which of your assets are affected, which adversaries are exploiting it right now, which detections to deploy, and what to do tonight.

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Exposure mapping

Query your assets running an affected version, and investigate the blast radius.

Threat actor evidence

Every observed campaign linking this CVE to a named adversary.

Associated malware

Malware families riding this exploit, with evidence and IOCs.

Detection signatures

YARA, Sigma, Snort, and vendor rules, auto-deployed to your SIEM.

Vendor-by-vendor mapping

Cross-references every affected SKU, including bundled OEM variants.

Social activity1