CVE-2020-14354

Service crash via repeated host-query finalization

Published May 13, 2021 · Updated Aug 4, 2024

Double free in c-ares 1.16.0 allows local users to crash a linked service by destroying its channel during an address lookup. In ares_getaddrinfo.c, host_callback calls end_hquery for ARES_EDESTRUCTION and then falls through, allowing the same host query to be finalized again. Triggering requires code able to invoke the library API while a lookup remains pending; the demonstrated consequence is a service crash.

CVSS severity3.3
Low
EPSS probability0.53%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Double free in c-ares 1.16.0 allows local users to crash a linked service by destroying its channel during an address lookup. In ares_getaddrinfo.c, host_callback calls end_hquery for ARES_EDESTRUCTION and then falls through, allowing the same host query to be finalized again. Triggering requires code able to invoke the library API while a lookup remains pending; the demonstrated consequence is a service crash.

The record

CVE
CVE-2020-14354
Published
May 13, 2021
Updated
Aug 4, 2024
Vendor
c-ares Project
Product
c-ares
Classifications
CWE-415, CWE-120, CWE-416, T1499.004
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. May 13, 2021CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 4, 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?

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  1. Affected versionversion=c-ares 1.16.1

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

c-ares Project · c-aresversion=c-ares 1.16.1

Published CVSS scores

3.3NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L
2.1NIST NVDAV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:N/I:N/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.

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

No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-415Double Free
CWE-120Buffer Copy without Checking Size of Input ('Classic Buffer Overflow')
CWE-416Use After Free
T1499.004Endpoint Denial of Service: Application or System Exploitation

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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