CVE-2022-4515: Debian Linux

High severity, CVSS 7.8. EPSS: 0.6% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days.

A flaw was found in Exuberant Ctags in the way it handles the "-o" option. This option specifies the tag filename. A crafted tag filename specified in the command line or in the configuration file results in arbitrary command execution because the externalSortTags() in sort.c calls the system(3) function in an unsafe way.

Affected products

• Debian Debian Linux: version 10.0 only
• Exuberant Ctags Project Exuberant Ctags: any version

Published 2022-12-20. Last modified 2026-06-17.