CVE-2019-20454Public exploitNetwork attack vector

Application crash via non-UTF JIT grapheme matching

Published Feb 14, 2020 · Updated Aug 5, 2024

Out-of-bounds read in PCRE2 10.31 through 10.33 allows attackers to crash applications via crafted non-UTF subjects during JIT matching. The do_extuni_no_utf routine uses the multibyte GETCHARINC macro while processing a non-UTF \X match, so a crafted subject advances the pointer past the available buffer. Reachability requires an application to JIT-compile \X and match attacker-controlled subject data with UTF mode disabled; the bounded consequence is a process crash.

CVSS severity5.1
Medium
EPSS probability1.56%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
Coverage for this vulnerability

See if you're affected

Explore vulnerability checks for your environment with Hinoki.

Book a demo

Summary

What happened

Out-of-bounds read in PCRE2 10.31 through 10.33 allows attackers to crash applications via crafted non-UTF subjects during JIT matching. The do_extuni_no_utf routine uses the multibyte GETCHARINC macro while processing a non-UTF \X match, so a crafted subject advances the pointer past the available buffer. Reachability requires an application to JIT-compile \X and match attacker-controlled subject data with UTF mode disabled; the bounded consequence is a process crash.

The record

CVE
CVE-2019-20454
Published
Feb 14, 2020
Updated
Aug 5, 2024
Vendor
Unknown vendor
Product
Unknown product
Classifications
CWE-125, T1499.004
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Feb 14, 2020CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 5, 2024Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

Compare your product and version with the public record. A matching version still requires validation against your environment.

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

5.1MITRECVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
5.0NIST NVDAV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:N/I:N/A:P
7.5NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

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.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

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 exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-125Out-of-bounds Read
T1499.004Application or System Exploitation

Public exploit references

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

See the directory against your own environment.

Your stack

Check the software in your environment

Book a demo to see how Hinoki identifies affected software and validates exploitability in your environment.

Book a demo