CVE-2020-8442Public exploitNetwork attack vector

Authenticated service crash via unchecked agent index

Published Jan 30, 2020 · Updated Aug 4, 2024

Heap-based buffer overflow in OSSEC-HIDS 2.7 through 3.5.0 allows remote authenticated users to crash ossec-analysisd. The rootcheck decoder's DB_File lookup increments an index across fixed-size agent-name and file-pointer arrays without stopping at MAX_AGENTS when distinct names fill the table. A client possessing a valid agent key can send enough crafted rootcheck updates to overwrite an adjacent file pointer; a process crash is demonstrated, while code execution is not.

CVSS severity8.8
High
EPSS probability2.38%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Heap-based buffer overflow in OSSEC-HIDS 2.7 through 3.5.0 allows remote authenticated users to crash ossec-analysisd. The rootcheck decoder's DB_File lookup increments an index across fixed-size agent-name and file-pointer arrays without stopping at MAX_AGENTS when distinct names fill the table. A client possessing a valid agent key can send enough crafted rootcheck updates to overwrite an adjacent file pointer; a process crash is demonstrated, while code execution is not.

The record

CVE
CVE-2020-8442
Published
Jan 30, 2020
Updated
Aug 4, 2024
Vendor
Unknown vendor
Product
Unknown product
Classifications
CWE-787, T1499.004
Attack vector
network
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jan 30, 2020CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 4, 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 vectornetwork
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Affected products and versions are unavailable in this record.

Published CVSS scores

6.5NIST NVDAV:N/AC:L/Au:S/C:P/I:P/A:P
8.8NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/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.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-787Out-of-bounds Write
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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