CVE-2020-37040CWE-120

Code Blocks 17.12 - 'File Name' Local Buffer Overflow

High · published January 30, 2026

CVSS v4.0
8.4
EPSS
0%
Percentile
10.8
In the wild
Unconfirmed
What it is

⚡ A cleverly crafted file name can unleash chaos! In Code Blocks 17.12, a local buffer overflow vulnerability allows attackers to execute arbitrary code just by pasting a specially crafted payload into the project creation field. 🔥 Think of it like a restaurant where a patron slips a dangerous ingredient into the chef's supplies without anyone noticing. When the chef goes to prepare a dish, that unexpected ingredient could turn a delicious meal into a disastrous experience! An attacker could create a project with a malicious file name, resulting in arbitrary code execution on the system. This means they could execute any command, including launching applications like calc.exe, accessing sensitive data, or even taking control of the machine. It's a potential nightmare waiting to happen!

Put simply

Think of it like a restaurant where a patron slips a dangerous ingredient into the chef's supplies without anyone noticing. When the chef goes to prepare a dish, that unexpected ingredient could turn a delicious meal into a disastrous experience! This vulnerability allows attackers to exploit a buffer overflow by including Unicode characters in the file name during project creation, leading to arbitrary code execution with the privileges of the running process.

What to do

An attacker could create a project with a malicious file name, resulting in arbitrary code execution on the system. This means they could execute any command, including launching applications like calc.exe, accessing sensitive data, or even taking control of the machine. It's a potential nightmare waiting to happen! To protect against this vulnerability, update Code Blocks to version 17.12.1 or later immediately. It's crucial to enforce strict validation for file names to prevent such payloads from being processed. 🛡️ This is definitely fixable! Follow these steps, and you’ll be well on your way to securing your system! 🦸

The record
Technical detail
CVSS v4.0
8.4 · HIGH
Vector
CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:A/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N
EPSS
0.00211 · 10.8th percentile
Weakness
CWE-120 · Buffer Copy without Checking Size of Input ('Classic Buffer Overflow')
Published
2026-01-30T22:07Z
EPSS history
Timeline
  • 30 JAN 22:07Z
    Code Blocks 17.12 - 'File Name' Local Buffer Overflow
    cvelistv5