Uninitialized data access via handle mis-parsing
Published Dec 18, 2022 · Updated Apr 15, 2025
Uninitialized pointer access in ewxrjk sftpserver allows remote authenticated users to affect a server through a malformed handle. The sftp_parse_handle function combines a length check with handle parsing so that a bad length can return an uninitialized rc value; the patch separates the checks and returns SSH_FX_BAD_MESSAGE for a non-eight-byte handle. Reachability requires deployment on a security boundary, such as a direct TCP listener or restricted-login command, and the maintainer disputes vulnerability status because the README warns against those configurations.
Summary
What happened
Uninitialized pointer access in ewxrjk sftpserver allows remote authenticated users to affect a server through a malformed handle. The sftp_parse_handle function combines a length check with handle parsing so that a bad length can return an uninitialized rc value; the patch separates the checks and returns SSH_FX_BAD_MESSAGE for a non-eight-byte handle. Reachability requires deployment on a security boundary, such as a direct TCP listener or restricted-login command, and the maintainer disputes vulnerability status because the README warns against those configurations.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2020-36617
- Published
- Dec 18, 2022
- Updated
- Apr 15, 2025
- Vendor
- /n software, Inc.
- Product
- IPWorks SSH SFTPServer
- Classifications
- CWE-908
- Attack vector
- adjacent
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Dec 18, 2022CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Apr 15, 2025Record 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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- Affected versionversion=n/a
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Attacks
What attackers are doing with it
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Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
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Your stack
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Your stack
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