Buffer overflow in c-ares
Priority LOW 17CWE-120Published · Updated
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Local
- Privileges required
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- —
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- None · None · Low
- Fix status
- No fix listed
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · NVD. Fix status from CNA.
Summary
A possible use-after-free and double-free in c-ares lib version 1.16.0 if ares_destroy() is called prior to ares_getaddrinfo() completing. This flaw possibly allows an attacker to crash the service that uses c-ares lib. The highest threat from this vulnerability is to this service availability.
Why it matters now
EPSS 0.00529 44th percentileScored 2026-11-07
Public exploit Yes 2 exploit referencesTagged by NVD
Fix No fix listed No fixed version in the sources yet
SSVC decision points
Not available: CISA has not published SSVC decision points for this record.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | c-ares | c-ares 1.16.1 | — | No fix listed | CNA |
- c-ares Vendor— Affected c-ares 1.16.1 Fixed in — No fix listed CNA
CPE configurations NVD · 2
| CPE | Versions | Role | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpe:2.3:a:c-ares:c-ares:1.16.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 1.16.0 | Vulnerable | c-ares |
| cpe:2.3:o:fedoraproject:fedora:33:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 33 | Vulnerable | Fedoraproject |
- cpe:2.3:a:c-ares:c-ares:1.16.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 1.16.0 Vulnerable ·c-ares
- cpe:2.3:o:fedoraproject:fedora:33:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 33 Vulnerable ·Fedoraproject
Remediation
No fixed version listed by the sources yet.
Vendor assessments
Red Hat
Red Hat rating: Moderate. Red Hat's page for this CVE →
Not affected: 5 products
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8
- Red Hat Software Collections
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2020-14354
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-xxmg-3gv9-85h2
References
Sources
- CVE-2020-14354 · CVE Program
- CVE-2020-14354 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-xxmg-3gv9-85h2 · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2020-14354 · 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