HOMEVULNERABILITIESCVE-2020-5210
HIGH

CVE-2020-5210

CWE-120Published: January 28, 2020· Updated: Jun 17, 2026

7.8
CVSS v3.1

Official Description

In NetHack before 3.6.5, an invalid argument to the -w command line option can cause a buffer overflow resulting in a crash or remote code execution/privilege escalation. This vulnerability affects systems that have NetHack installed suid/sgid and shared systems that allow users to influence command line options. Users should upgrade to NetHack 3.6.5.

NVD Source

Technical Analysis

CVE-2020-5210 requires local access, meaning attackers must already have a foothold on the target system.

Exploitation requires low privileges, which limits the exposure to scenarios where an attacker has already gained initial access.

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.

CVSS v3.1 Vector Breakdown

Exploitability
Attack VectorLocal
Attack ComplexityLow
Privileges Req.Low
User InteractionNone
ScopeUnchanged
Impact
ConfidentialityHigh
IntegrityHigh
AvailabilityHigh
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Affected Vendors & Products

nethack1 product(s)
nethack
Source: NVD CPE · 1 total CPE entries

Exploit & PoC Resources

NO KNOWN EXPLOITNo public exploit confirmed at this time
Exploit-DB
Offensive Security exploit database
GitHub PoC Search
Community PoC repositories
Rapid7 / Metasploit
Metasploit module search
PacketStorm
Security advisories & exploits
NVD Detail
Official NIST entry
MITRE CVE
CVE Program entry
External links open in a new tab. Always verify in a controlled environment before use.

Official Patches & Advisories

PATCHhttps://github.com/NetHack/NetHack/commit/f3def5c0b999478da2d0a8f0b6a7c370a2065f77
PATCHhttps://github.com/NetHack/NetHack/commit/f3def5c0b999478da2d0a8f0b6a7c370a2065f77
ADVISORYhttps://github.com/NetHack/NetHack/security/advisories/GHSA-v5pg-hpjg-9rpp
ADVISORYhttps://github.com/NetHack/NetHack/security/advisories/GHSA-v5pg-hpjg-9rpp

All References (4)

→
https://github.com/NetHack/NetHack/commit/f3def5c0b999478da2d0a8f0b6a7c370a2065f77Patch
→
https://github.com/NetHack/NetHack/security/advisories/GHSA-v5pg-hpjg-9rppThird Party Advisory
→
https://github.com/NetHack/NetHack/commit/f3def5c0b999478da2d0a8f0b6a7c370a2065f77Patch
→
https://github.com/NetHack/NetHack/security/advisories/GHSA-v5pg-hpjg-9rppThird Party Advisory

Quick Facts

CVE IDCVE-2020-5210
CVSS Score7.8 / 10
SeverityHIGH
WeaknessCWE-120
CISA KEVNo
Affected1 vendor(s)
PublishedJan 28, 2020

Related CVEs (CWE-120)

CVE-2002-1337
10.0
CVE-2001-0554
10.0
CVE-2022-20827
10.0
CVE-2011-4862
10.0
CVE-1999-0046
10.0
CVE-2007-1770
10.0

Recommended Actions

  • →Apply vendor patches immediately
  • →Monitor CVE-2020-5210 in threat intel feeds
  • →Review IDS/IPS signatures for exploitation attempts
Data sourced from NVD (NIST), CISA KEV, and EPSS (FIRST). Analysis generated by CTIWATCH.COM. CVE data is provided under the NVD usage policy.
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