Application crash via Unicode SEH overwrite
Published Feb 5, 2026 · Updated Feb 5, 2026
Stack-based buffer overflow in Code::Blocks 16.01 allows attackers to crash the application through a crafted M3U playlist file. Published material does not identify the parser function or copy operation; the proof of concept places SEH control data after 536 Unicode padding bytes. Exploitation requires a user to open the file on Windows; arbitrary code execution remains unverified because the public payload uses a breakpoint placeholder.
Summary
What happened
Stack-based buffer overflow in Code::Blocks 16.01 allows attackers to crash the application through a crafted M3U playlist file. Published material does not identify the parser function or copy operation; the proof of concept places SEH control data after 536 Unicode padding bytes. Exploitation requires a user to open the file on Windows; arbitrary code execution remains unverified because the public payload uses a breakpoint placeholder.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2020-37121
- Published
- Feb 5, 2026
- Updated
- Feb 5, 2026
- Vendor
- Code::Blocks
- Product
- Code::Blocks
- Classifications
- CWE-121, T1203
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- unauthenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Feb 5, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Feb 5, 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.
- Affected versionversion=16.01
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
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.
Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
- Code Blocks 16.01 Buffer Overflow SEH UNICODEproof of concept · unverified
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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