CVE-2020-37038Public exploit

Application crash via oversized FSymbols search input

Published Jan 30, 2026 · Updated Jan 30, 2026

Denial of service in Code::Blocks 20.03 allows local users to crash the application through the FSymbols search field. The FSymbols search handler processes a pasted string of 5,000 repeated characters without an effective resource limit and terminates the IDE. Exploitation requires active local interaction with the desktop interface and interrupts only the affected Code::Blocks process.

CVSS severity4.6
Medium
EPSS probability0.39%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Denial of service in Code::Blocks 20.03 allows local users to crash the application through the FSymbols search field. The FSymbols search handler processes a pasted string of 5,000 repeated characters without an effective resource limit and terminates the IDE. Exploitation requires active local interaction with the desktop interface and interrupts only the affected Code::Blocks process.

The record

CVE
CVE-2020-37038
Published
Jan 30, 2026
Updated
Jan 30, 2026
Vendor
Code::Blocks
Product
Code::Blocks
Classifications
CWE-770, T1499.004
Attack vector
local
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jan 30, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Jan 30, 2026Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=20.03

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Code::Blocks · Code::Blocksversion=20.03

Published CVSS scores

4.6VulnCheckCVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:A/VC:N/VI:N/VA:L/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N
7.5VulnCheckCVSS: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.

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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-770Allocation of Resources Without Limits or Throttling
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

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Your stack

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