CVE-2020-21685Public exploit

Assembler crash via crafted source file

Published Aug 22, 2023 · Updated Oct 7, 2024

Buffer overflow in NASM 2.15rc0 allows local users to crash the assembler by supplying a crafted assembly source file. The published record identifies hash_findi in hashtbl.c but does not disclose which bounds check or memory operation is defective. Another user must process the supplied file, and both upstream and Ubuntu were unable to reproduce the reported crash.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.44%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Buffer overflow in NASM 2.15rc0 allows local users to crash the assembler by supplying a crafted assembly source file. The published record identifies hash_findi in hashtbl.c but does not disclose which bounds check or memory operation is defective. Another user must process the supplied file, and both upstream and Ubuntu were unable to reproduce the reported crash.

The record

CVE
CVE-2020-21685
Published
Aug 22, 2023
Updated
Oct 7, 2024
Vendor
Unknown vendor
Product
Unknown product
Classifications
CWE-787, T1204.002
Attack vector
local
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Aug 22, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Oct 7, 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 vectorlocal
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Affected products and versions are unavailable in this record.

Published CVSS scores

5.5NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/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.

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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
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-787Out-of-bounds Write
T1204.002Malicious File

Public exploit references

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

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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