CVE-2021-20204Network attack vector

Arbitrary code execution via malformed field parsing

Published May 6, 2021 · Updated Oct 17, 2024

Use-after-free in GetData 0.10.0 allows context-dependent attackers to execute arbitrary code through a crafted Dirfile database. In _GD_ParseFragment, a malformed field specification can make _GD_ParseFieldSpec return NULL, but parsing continues without setting GD_E_BAD_DIRFILE, allowing later encoding-support processing to access freed heap memory. Triggering requires a consuming application to process attacker-controlled Dirfile data; exploitation can crash that process or execute code with its privileges.

CVSS severity9.8
Critical
EPSS probability2.16%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Use-after-free in GetData 0.10.0 allows context-dependent attackers to execute arbitrary code through a crafted Dirfile database. In _GD_ParseFragment, a malformed field specification can make _GD_ParseFieldSpec return NULL, but parsing continues without setting GD_E_BAD_DIRFILE, allowing later encoding-support processing to access freed heap memory. Triggering requires a consuming application to process attacker-controlled Dirfile data; exploitation can crash that process or execute code with its privileges.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-20204
Published
May 6, 2021
Updated
Oct 17, 2024
Vendor
GetData Project
Product
GetData
Classifications
CWE-119
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. May 6, 2021CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Oct 17, 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?

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  1. Affected versionversion=v0.10.0

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

GetData Project · GetDataversion=v0.10.0

Published CVSS scores

9.8CISA ADPCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

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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)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-119Improper Restriction of Operations within the Bounds of a Memory Buffer

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

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Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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