Format string vulnerability in the inputAnswer function in file.c in w3m before 0.5.2, when run with the dump or backend option, allows remo
Format string vulnerability in the inputAnswer function in file.c in w3m before 0.5.2, when run with the dump or backend option, allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via format string specifiers in the Common Name (CN) field of an SSL certificate associated with an https URL.
Noroxi analysis
No Noroxi analysis for this record yet
We don't hand-write analysis for the hundreds of thousands of vulnerabilities in the database; that wouldn't be honest. For notable, high-impact vulnerabilities our team writes the mechanism, detection and remediation steps.
We use this product, ask for help- Published
- Dec 27, 2006
- Updated
- Jun 16, 2026
- EPSS
- 4.8% · 92th percentile
- CWE
- CWE-134
Sign in to follow · You’ll be notified if a followed record enters KEV, gets an exploit or is updated.
Report tools
Action score
38
Monitor
Low priority for now.
- CVSS
- 37 / 40 · 9.3 / 10
- CISA KEV
- 0 / 30 · Not listed
- EPSS
- 1 / 30 · 4.8%
Affected systems
| Vendor | Product | CPE |
|---|---|---|
| w3m | w3m | cpe:2.3:a:w3m:w3m |
Affected versions
NVD version ranges (for catalog products). Add the product to your stack with a version and matching uses these.
- w3m w3m0.5.1
Package-level exposure
OSV and GitHub Advisory data: ecosystem, package and range. SBOM matching uses this table.
| Ecosystem | Package | Affected range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| Debian:12 | w3m | before 0.5.1-5.1 | 0.5.1-5.1 |
| openSUSE:Tumbleweed | w3m | before 0.5.3+git20180125-1.14 | 0.5.3+git20180125-1.14 |
Same product
w3m: all recordsOther highest-scoring records for the same primary product.
- CVE-2001-0700Buffer overflow in w3m 0.2.1 and earlier allows a remote attacker to execute arbitrary code via a long base64 encoded MIME header.34Monitor
- CVE-2010-2074istream.c in w3m 0.5.2 and possibly other versions, when ssl_verify_server is enabled, does not properly handle a '\0' character in a domain27Monitor
- CVE-2002-1348w3m before 0.3.2.2 does not properly escape HTML tags in the ALT attribute of an IMG tag, which could allow remote attackers to access files21Monitor
- CVE-2002-1335Cross-site scripting (XSS) vulnerability in w3m 0.3.2 does not escape an HTML tag in a frame, which allows remote attackers to insert arbitr18Monitor
Remediation
Which version to upgrade to
Fix versions compiled from the vendor, package registries and Microsoft. Verify the vendor's note before upgrading.
| Product / package | Fixed version | Source |
|---|---|---|
| debian:w3m | 0.5.1-5.1 · Debian:12 | Package registry (OSV) |
| opensuse:w3m | 0.5.3+git20180125-1.14 · openSUSE:Tumbleweed | Package registry (OSV) |
Exploit status
No known public exploit
No public exploit has been observed yet. That doesn't mean you're safe, only that the bar is a little higher.
Research context
For pentesters and researchers: attack profile, score disagreement, timeline, patch commits, credits, variant and chain candidates, bug bounty scope. All derived from existing data; no exploit code.
Timeline
From publication to today: proof of concept, Metasploit module, CISA KEV and fix record. Dates are as reported by the sources.
No dated events beyond publication.
FIRST EPSS daily score; only changes of 0.01 or more are recorded (step chart).
Patch and commit links
Commit, PR and diff links among the references. A starting point for patch-diffing and variant hunting; fixes, not exploits.
No commit or PR link among the references.
Credits
All researchersFinders, reporters and analysts named in the CNA record. Click a name for that researcher’s other records.
No credits in the CNA record.
Variant candidates
Same product, same weakness class, within 18 months. If the patch missed the root cause, the sibling bug is here.
No nightly-computed relations.
Chain candidates
An authentication bypass and a privilege-requiring bug in the same product, published close together: combined they may become an unauthenticated path.
—
Bug bounty scope
No known public program.
Source: bounty-targets-data (public HackerOne, Bugcrowd, Intigriti, YesWeHack listings).
Technical details
Attack conditions
If successful
- Confidentiality
- C · data can be read
- Integrity
- C · data or configuration can be modified
- Availability
- C · the service can be disrupted
- Attack complexity
- M
- Confidentiality impact
- C
- Integrity impact
- C
- Availability impact
- C
Weakness class (CWE)
CWE-134 · Use of Externally-Controlled Format StringCVSS vector
AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C
nvd-primary
Attack context
MITRE CAPEC attack patterns and ATT&CK techniques for this weakness class (CWE). A starting point for detection rules and threat hunting.
Attack patterns (CAPEC)
ATT&CK techniques
—
Change log
- Fix✗ → ✓
For records you follow, these changes also arrive as notifications. →
References
- fedoranews.org/cms/node/2415
- fedoranews.org/cms/node/2416
- lists.grok.org.uk/pipermail/full-disclosure/2006-December/051457.html
- secunia.com/advisories/23492
- secunia.com/advisories/23588
- secunia.com/advisories/23717
- secunia.com/advisories/23773
- secunia.com/advisories/23792
- security.gentoo.org/glsa/glsa-200701-06.xml
- securitytracker.com/id?1017440
- sourceforge.net/tracker/index.php?func=detail&aid=1612792&group_id=39518&atid=425439
- w3m.cvs.sourceforge.net/%2Acheckout%2A/w3m/w3m/NEWS?revision=1.79
- w3m.cvs.sourceforge.net/w3m/w3m/file.c?r1=1.249&r2=1.250
- w3m.cvs.sourceforge.net/w3m/w3m/file.c?view=log
- www.novell.com/linux/security/advisories/2007_05_w3m.html
- www.openpkg.com/security/advisories/OpenPKG-SA-2006.044.html
- www.securityfocus.com/bid/21735
- www.securityfocus.com/bid/24332
- www.ubuntu.com/usn/usn-399-1
- www.vupen.com/english/advisories/2006/5164
Vendor advisories and official records. Exploit/PoC links are deliberately left out.