CVE-2020-37127Public exploit

Utility crash via unchecked interface name copy

Published Feb 5, 2026 · Updated Feb 5, 2026

Stack-based buffer overflow in Dnsmasq dnsmasq-utils 2.79 allows local users to crash dhcp_release through an overlong interface name. In dhcp_release.c, the utility copies argv[1] into ifr.ifr_name with strcpy without enforcing the 16-byte interface-name limit, corrupting the stack. A local user must induce a root user to run the command with the crafted argument; exploitation terminates only the utility process with a core dump.

CVSS severity6.9
Medium
EPSS probability0.19%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Stack-based buffer overflow in Dnsmasq dnsmasq-utils 2.79 allows local users to crash dhcp_release through an overlong interface name. In dhcp_release.c, the utility copies argv[1] into ifr.ifr_name with strcpy without enforcing the 16-byte interface-name limit, corrupting the stack. A local user must induce a root user to run the command with the crafted argument; exploitation terminates only the utility process with a core dump.

The record

CVE
CVE-2020-37127
Published
Feb 5, 2026
Updated
Feb 5, 2026
Vendor
Simon Kelley
Product
dnsmasq-utils
Classifications
CWE-121
Attack vector
local
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Feb 5, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. 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.

  1. Affected versionversion=2.79

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Simon Kelley · dnsmasq-utilsversion=2.79

Published CVSS scores

6.9VulnCheckCVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:N/VI:N/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N
5.5VulnCheckCVSS: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 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-121Stack-based Buffer Overflow

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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