CVE-2020-22336Public exploit

Code execution via oversized saved-state encryption key

Published Jul 6, 2023 · Updated Nov 20, 2024

Stack buffer overflow in pdfcrack 0.17 through 0.18 allows attackers to execute arbitrary code through a crafted saved-state file. The isUserPasswordRev3 path passes an oversized encryption-key length to md5, which reads beyond the 16-byte enckey stack buffer while repeating the hash. Exploitation requires a user to load a state file containing a key length that cannot occur in a conforming PDF; the demonstrated consequence is a process crash.

CVSS severity9.8
Critical
EPSS probability1.20%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Stack buffer overflow in pdfcrack 0.17 through 0.18 allows attackers to execute arbitrary code through a crafted saved-state file. The isUserPasswordRev3 path passes an oversized encryption-key length to md5, which reads beyond the 16-byte enckey stack buffer while repeating the hash. Exploitation requires a user to load a state file containing a key length that cannot occur in a conforming PDF; the demonstrated consequence is a process crash.

The record

CVE
CVE-2020-22336
Published
Jul 6, 2023
Updated
Nov 20, 2024
Vendor
Unknown vendor
Product
Unknown product
Classifications
CWE-787, T1203
Attack vector
local
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jul 6, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Nov 20, 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

9.8NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/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
T1203Exploitation for Client Execution

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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