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Vulnerability record · CVE-2017-16879 · published 22 November 2017

CVE-2017-16879: Invisible-island ncurses out-of-bounds write vulnerability

Invisible Island · Ncurses

Stack-based buffer overflow in the _nc_write_entry function in tinfo/write_entry.c in ncurses 6.0 allows attackers to cause a denial of service (application crash) or possibly execute arbitrary code via a crafted terminfo file, as demonstrated by tic.

7.8 CVSS 3.1 High EPSS 2.4% · top 16.6% CWE-787 · Out-of-bounds write
7.8CVSS 3.1 base score, v2 6.8
2.4%EPSS exploitation probability, 30 days
NoNot in CISA KEV
1Affected product versions listed by NVD
12References
23 Jul 2026Last modified by NVD

Description

Stack-based buffer overflow in the _nc_write_entry function in tinfo/write_entry.c in ncurses 6.0 allows attackers to cause a denial of service (application crash) or possibly execute arbitrary code via a crafted terminfo file, as demonstrated by tic.

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Affected products

1 vulnerable configurations from NVD's CPE data, grouped by vendor and product.

References

LinkTags
http://invisible-island.net/ncurses/NEWS.html#t20171125 Vendor Advisory
http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/145045/GNU-ncurses-6.0-tic-Denial-Of-Service.html Third Party AdvisoryVDB Entry
https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/r58af02e294bd07f487e2c64ffc0a29b837db5600e33b6e698b9d696b%40%3Cissues.bookkeeper.ap
https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/rf4c02775860db415b4955778a131c2795223f61cb8c6a450893651e4%40%3Cissues.bookkeeper.ap
https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/201804-13 Third Party Advisory
https://tools.cisco.com/security/center/viewAlert.x?alertId=57695 Permissions RequiredThird Party Advisory
http://invisible-island.net/ncurses/NEWS.html#t20171125 Vendor Advisory
http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/145045/GNU-ncurses-6.0-tic-Denial-Of-Service.html Third Party AdvisoryVDB Entry
https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/r58af02e294bd07f487e2c64ffc0a29b837db5600e33b6e698b9d696b%40%3Cissues.bookkeeper.ap
https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/rf4c02775860db415b4955778a131c2795223f61cb8c6a450893651e4%40%3Cissues.bookkeeper.ap
https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/201804-13 Third Party Advisory
https://tools.cisco.com/security/center/viewAlert.x?alertId=57695 Permissions RequiredThird Party Advisory

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Related vulnerabilities

Same products first, then exploited flaws of the same weakness class.

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Source: NIST National Vulnerability Database (record CVE-2017-16879), CISA KEV, FIRST EPSS (scores of 2026-09-28). This page is refreshed as NVD updates the record.