NetHack Call command buffer overflow
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Local
- Privileges required
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- Denial of service
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- None · None · High
- Fix status
- Fixed
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CNA. Fix status from CNA. Impact type from CWE-120 and the CVSS impact.
Summary
NetHack is a single player dungeon exploration game. Starting with version 3.6.2 and prior to version 3.6.7, illegal input to the "C" (call) command can cause a buffer overflow and crash the NetHack process. This vulnerability may be a security issue for systems that have NetHack installed suid/sgid and for shared systems. For all systems, it may result in a process crash. This issue is resolved in NetHack 3.6.7. There are no known workarounds.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3
- Exploitation
- None
- Automatable
- No
- Technical impact
- Partial
The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.
Affected products
Remediation
- Fix · CNA NetHack (NetHack) Fixed in 3.6.7
Vendor assessments
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2023-24809
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-2023-24809 · CVE Program
- CVE-2023-24809 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- CVE-2023-24809 · 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