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CVE-2017-6298 Debian CVE debrief

CVE-2017-6298 affects ytnef before 1.9.1 and is described as a null pointer dereference caused by an unchecked calloc return value (CWE-476). The NVD record assigns CVSS v3.0 7.8 High and indicates local attack conditions with required user interaction. Organizations using ytnef directly or through downstream packages should prioritize updating to a fixed release.

Vendor
Debian
Product
CVE-2017-6298
CVSS
HIGH 7.8
CISA KEV
Not listed in stored evidence
Original CVE published
2017-02-24
Original CVE updated
2026-05-13
Advisory published
2017-02-24
Advisory updated
2026-05-13

Who should care

Administrators and developers running ytnef directly, or relying on downstream packages that include ytnef, especially systems that process TNEF content and Debian 8.0/9.0 deployments listed in the NVD CPE criteria.

Technical summary

The official record describes the issue as "1 of 9. Null Pointer Deref / calloc return value not checked" in ytnef before 1.9.1. NVD maps the weakness to CWE-476 and gives the CVSS v3.0 vector AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H, with affected CPE criteria including ytnef through 1.9 and Debian Linux 8.0 and 9.0.

Defensive priority

High for any environment that processes untrusted TNEF content with ytnef. Patch or replace affected packages promptly and verify downstream distributions are rebuilt with the fix.

Recommended defensive actions

  • Upgrade ytnef to 1.9.1 or later wherever it is installed directly or bundled downstream.
  • Apply the vendor and distribution security updates referenced by the CVE, including Debian DSA-3846 where applicable.
  • Inventory hosts, containers, and applications that depend on ytnef and confirm whether any affected versions remain deployed.
  • Limit or isolate processing of untrusted TNEF attachments until patched builds are in place.
  • Rebuild, redeploy, and verify package versions after remediation to ensure the vulnerable library is no longer present.

Evidence notes

This debrief is based only on the supplied CVE/NVD metadata and referenced advisories. The record ties the issue to ytnef before 1.9.1, identifies CWE-476, and cites related patch/advisory references including an oss-security thread dated 2017-02-15, a GitHub pull request, Debian security advisory DSA-3846, and an X41 advisory. The CVE was published on 2017-02-24; the later 2026-05-13 timestamp reflects record maintenance, not original issue discovery.

Official resources

Publicly disclosed in the CVE record on 2017-02-24. The referenced patch discussion appears in an oss-security post dated 2017-02-15, and NVD later updated the record on 2026-05-13 for metadata maintenance.