Vulnerability · Published Jan 30, 2026 · Assigned by VulnCheck
CVE-2020-37040Code Blocks 17.12 - 'File Name' Local Buffer Overflow
High 8.4
In plain English
A high-severity buffer overflow in Code::Blocks from Code::Blocks. Proof-of-concept exploit code is public. The chance it is exploited in the next 30 days is estimated at 0.2% (higher than 11% of all known vulnerabilities).
Severity (CVSS 3.1)8.4High
Exploit odds (30 days)0.2%top 89.0% of all CVEs
Exploited in the wildNo reportsCISA SSVC: poc
Attack toolingNoneno public tooling known
Official description
Code Blocks 17.12 contains a local buffer overflow vulnerability that allows attackers to execute arbitrary code by crafting a malicious file name with Unicode characters. Attackers can trigger the vulnerability by pasting a specially crafted payload into the file name field during project creation, potentially executing system commands like calc.exe.
Affected packages & fixed versions
| Ecosystem | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Debian:12 | codeblocks | no fix listed | DEBIAN-CVE-2020-37040 |
| Debian:13 | codeblocks | no fix listed | DEBIAN-CVE-2020-37040 |
| Debian:14 | codeblocks | no fix listed | DEBIAN-CVE-2020-37040 |
| Ubuntu:22.04:LTS | codeblocks | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2020-37040 |
| Ubuntu:24.04:LTS | codeblocks | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2020-37040 |
| Ubuntu:25.10 | codeblocks | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2020-37040 |
| Ubuntu:26.04:LTS | codeblocks | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2020-37040 |
| Ubuntu:26.10 | codeblocks | no fix listed | UBUNTU-CVE-2020-37040 |
Affected products (as reported)
| Vendor | Product | Versions |
|---|---|---|
| Code::Blocks | Code::Blocks | 17.12 |
Weakness: CWE-120 · Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
References
- ExploitDB-48594 exploit
- Code Blocks Official Website product
- Code Blocks SourceForge Page product
- VulnCheck Advisory: Code Blocks 17.12 - 'File Name' Local Buffer Overflow third-party-advisory