Is CVE-2020-24996 actively exploited?

No active exploitation of CVE-2020-24996 has been confirmed so far. Continue monitoring, as exploit status can change.

Can CVE-2020-24996 be exploited remotely?

No. CVE-2020-24996 requires local access to exploit.

What is the CVSS score of CVE-2020-24996?

CVE-2020-24996 has a CVSS score of 7.8 (HIGH).

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HIGH

CVE-2020-24996

CWE-665Published: September 3, 2020· Updated: Jun 17, 2026

7.8

CVSS v3.1

Official Description

There is an invalid memory access in the function TextString::~TextString() located in Catalog.cc in Xpdf 4.0.2. It can be triggered by (for example) sending a crafted pdf file to the pdftohtml binary, which allows a remote attacker to cause a Denial of Service (Segmentation fault) or possibly have unspecified other impact.

NVD Source

Technical Analysis

CVE-2020-24996 requires local access, meaning attackers must already have a foothold on the target system.

Exploitation does not require any privileges, though user interaction (Required) is needed, which slightly reduces the risk of mass automated attacks.

A successful exploit results in complete confidentiality breach (data exposure), full integrity compromise (data manipulation), availability disruption (denial of service), with a CVSS base score of 7.8.