CVE-2016-20014Network attack vector

Service crash via uninitialized authorization reply pointers

Published Apr 21, 2022 · Updated Aug 6, 2024

Memory-management error in pam_tacplus before 1.4.1 allows remote attackers to crash a PAM-enabled service during account checks. The pam_sm_acct_mgmt function leaves the arep authorization-reply structure uninitialized, then cleanup interprets indeterminate attr and msg fields as pointers and frees nonzero values. Exposure depends on a network service configured to use the module's account-management path; the established consequence is an invalid free that terminates its process.

CVSS severity9.8
Critical
EPSS probability1.27%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Memory-management error in pam_tacplus before 1.4.1 allows remote attackers to crash a PAM-enabled service during account checks. The pam_sm_acct_mgmt function leaves the arep authorization-reply structure uninitialized, then cleanup interprets indeterminate attr and msg fields as pointers and frees nonzero values. Exposure depends on a network service configured to use the module's account-management path; the established consequence is an invalid free that terminates its process.

The record

CVE
CVE-2016-20014
Published
Apr 21, 2022
Updated
Aug 6, 2024
Vendor
Unknown vendor
Product
Unknown product
Classifications
T1499
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Apr 21, 2022CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 6, 2024Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Affected buildAffected product and version details are unavailable.

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Affected products and versions are unavailable in this record.

Published CVSS scores

9.8NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
7.5NIST NVDAV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

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No observations available

Sep 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

T1499Endpoint Denial of Service

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

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Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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