CVE-2015-3798

Apple iOS <8.4.1 & OS X <10.10.5 - RCE

Title source: llm
STIX 2.1

Exploitation Summary

EIP tracks 1 public exploit for CVE-2015-3798. PoCs published by Google Security Research.

AI-analyzed exploit summary The exploit targets an integer overflow in the OS X regex engine (tre_tnfa_run_parallel) leading to a negative total_bytes value, causing a heap-based buffer overflow via memset. The PoC constructs a malicious regex with excessive nesting and captures to trigger the vulnerability.

Description

The TRE library in Libc in Apple iOS before 8.4.1 and OS X before 10.10.5 allows context-dependent attackers to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service (memory corruption and application crash) via a crafted regular expression, a different vulnerability than CVE-2015-3796 and CVE-2015-3797.

Exploits (1)

exploitdb WORKING POC VERIFIED
by Google Security Research · textdososx
https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/38262

The exploit targets an integer overflow in the OS X regex engine (tre_tnfa_run_parallel) leading to a negative total_bytes value, causing a heap-based buffer overflow via memset. The PoC constructs a malicious regex with excessive nesting and captures to trigger the vulnerability.

Classification
Working Poc 95%
Attack Type
Dos
Complexity
Moderate
Reliability
Reliable
Target: OS X regex engine (libsystem_c.dylib)
No auth needed
Prerequisites: Target system running OS X with vulnerable regex engine
devstral-2 · analyzed Feb 16, 2026 Full analysis →

References (8)

Core 8
Core References
Vendor Advisory x_refsource_confirm
https://support.apple.com/kb/HT205030
Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry vdb-entry x_refsource_sectrack
http://www.securitytracker.com/id/1033275
Vendor Advisory vendor-advisory x_refsource_apple
http://lists.apple.com/archives/security-announce/2015/Aug/msg00001.html
Vendor Advisory vendor-advisory x_refsource_apple
http://lists.apple.com/archives/security-announce/2015/Aug/msg00002.html
Exploit, Third Party Advisory exploit x_refsource_exploit-db
https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/38262/
Vendor Advisory x_refsource_confirm
https://support.apple.com/kb/HT205031
Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry vdb-entry x_refsource_bid
http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/76343

Scores

EPSS 0.1332
EPSS Percentile 95.9%

Details

CWE
CWE-119
Status published
Products (2)
apple/iphone_os < 8.4
apple/mac_os_x < 10.10.4
Published Aug 17, 2015
Tracked Since Feb 18, 2026