NetHack hilite_status parsing privilege escalation
Priority LOW 38CWE-125Published · Updated
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Network
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- High
- Impact type
- Code execution
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- High · High · High
- Fix status
- Fixed
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · NVD. Fix status from CNA. Impact type from CWE-119 and the CVSS impact.
Summary
In NetHack before 3.6.6, some out-of-bound values for the hilite_status option can be exploited. NetHack 3.6.6 resolves this issue.
Why it matters now
EPSS 0.01142 66th percentileScored 2026-11-07
Fix Fixed NetHack (NetHack): 3.6.6
SSVC decision points
Not available: CISA has not published SSVC decision points for this record.
Affected products
Remediation
- Fix · CNA NetHack (NetHack) Fixed in 3.6.6
Vendor assessments
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2020-5254
References
More Nethack vulnerabilities
- TI-2019-14352 NetHack 3.6.x before 3.6.4 is prone to a buffer overflow vulnerability when reading very… CVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
- TI-2020-04270 NetHack error recovery after syntax error in configuration file is subject to a buffer overflow CVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
- TI-2020-04269 NetHack SYMBOL configuration file option is subject to a buffer overflow CVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
- TI-2020-04268 NetHack MENUCOLOR configuration file option is subject to a buffer overflow CVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
- TI-2020-04267 NetHack AUTOCOMPLETE configuration file option is subject to a buffer overflow CVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
- TI-2020-04309 Privilege escalation in NetHack CVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
Sources
- CVE-2020-5254 · CVE Program
- CVE-2020-5254 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- CVE-2020-5254 · Red Hat security data · CC BY 4.0
This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences