CVE catalog

CVE-2020-5253

nethack: CVE-2020-5253

Severity: High · CVSS 7.8CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Published: Mar 10, 2020, 5:15:00 PM UTC
Source: [NVD] · [CVE record]
EPSS: 0.54% · Oct 25, 2026

NetHack before version 3.6.0 allowed malicious use of escaping of characters in the configuration file (usually .nethackrc) which could be exploited. This bug is patched in NetHack 3.6.0.

Vulnerable and fixed packages

Distribution-reported package versions and fixes. These do not depend on matching against the OpenFactory package catalog.

Distribution	Package	Release	Version	Status
Debian	nethack	sid	`3.6.7-4`	fixed
Debian	nethack	forky	`3.6.7-4`	fixed
Debian	nethack	trixie	`3.6.7-1`	fixed
Debian	nethack	bookworm	`3.6.6-3`	fixed
Opensuse	nethack	tumbleweed	`3.4.3-6.1`	fixed
Ubuntu	nethack	16.04	`3.4.3-15`	vulnerable
Ubuntu	nethack	16.04	`3.4.3-15build1`	vulnerable

Fixed-version evidence

Distribution	Package	Type	Release	Fixed version	Urgency	Origin	Bugs
Debian	nethack	source	sid	`3.6.0-1`	not yet assigned	Not reported	Not reported
Debian	nethack	source	forky	`3.6.0-1`	not yet assigned	Not reported	Not reported
Debian	nethack	source	trixie	`3.6.0-1`	not yet assigned	Not reported	Not reported
Debian	nethack	source	bookworm	`3.6.0-1`	not yet assigned	Not reported	Not reported
Opensuse	nethack	rpm	tumbleweed	`3.4.3-6.1`	Not reported	OPENSUSE-SU-2025:14898-1	Not reported

OpenFactory catalog packages

[Debian 12 (Bookworm)]

[nethack-common]Fixed
Source package: [nethack]
Details (2)
- 3.6.6-3+b2 · amd64 · bookworm
  Fixed · Fixed: 3.6.0-1
  dsa · nethack · debian · bookworm; dsa · nethack · debian · 12
- 3.6.6-3+b2 · arm64 · bookworm
  Fixed · Fixed: 3.6.0-1
  dsa · nethack · debian · bookworm; dsa · nethack · debian · 12
[nethack-console]Fixed
Source package: [nethack]
Details (2)
- 3.6.6-3+b2 · amd64 · bookworm
  Fixed · Fixed: 3.6.0-1
  dsa · nethack · debian · bookworm; dsa · nethack · debian · 12
- 3.6.6-3+b2 · arm64 · bookworm
  Fixed · Fixed: 3.6.0-1
  dsa · nethack · debian · bookworm; dsa · nethack · debian · 12
[nethack-qt]Fixed
Source package: [nethack]
Details (2)
- 3.6.6-3+b2 · amd64 · bookworm
  Fixed · Fixed: 3.6.0-1
  dsa · nethack · debian · bookworm; dsa · nethack · debian · 12
- 3.6.6-3+b2 · arm64 · bookworm
  Fixed · Fixed: 3.6.0-1
  dsa · nethack · debian · bookworm; dsa · nethack · debian · 12
[nethack-x11]Fixed
Source package: [nethack]
Details (2)
- 3.6.6-3+b2 · amd64 · bookworm
  Fixed · Fixed: 3.6.0-1
  dsa · nethack · debian · bookworm; dsa · nethack · debian · 12
- 3.6.6-3+b2 · arm64 · bookworm
  Fixed · Fixed: 3.6.0-1
  dsa · nethack · debian · bookworm; dsa · nethack · debian · 12

[Debian 13 (Trixie)]

[nethack-common]Fixed
Source package: [nethack]
Details (2)
- 3.6.7-1+b2 · amd64 · trixie
  Fixed · Fixed: 3.6.0-1
  dsa · nethack · debian · 13
- 3.6.7-1+b4 · arm64 · trixie
  Fixed · Fixed: 3.6.0-1
  dsa · nethack · debian · 13
[nethack-console]Fixed
Source package: [nethack]
Details (2)
- 3.6.7-1+b2 · amd64 · trixie
  Fixed · Fixed: 3.6.0-1
  dsa · nethack · debian · 13
- 3.6.7-1+b4 · arm64 · trixie
  Fixed · Fixed: 3.6.0-1
  dsa · nethack · debian · 13
[nethack-qt]Fixed
Source package: [nethack]
Details (2)
- 3.6.7-1+b2 · amd64 · trixie
  Fixed · Fixed: 3.6.0-1
  dsa · nethack · debian · 13
- 3.6.7-1+b4 · arm64 · trixie
  Fixed · Fixed: 3.6.0-1
  dsa · nethack · debian · 13
[nethack-x11]Fixed
Source package: [nethack]
Details (2)
- 3.6.7-1+b2 · amd64 · trixie
  Fixed · Fixed: 3.6.0-1
  dsa · nethack · debian · 13
- 3.6.7-1+b4 · arm64 · trixie
  Fixed · Fixed: 3.6.0-1
  dsa · nethack · debian · 13

[openSUSE Tumbleweed]

[nethack]Fixed
Source package: [nethack]
Details (1)
- 3.6.7-1.5 · x86_64 · tumbleweed
  Fixed · Fixed: 3.4.3-6.1
  dsa · nethack · opensuse · tumbleweed

Observed: Oct 23, 2026, 5:52:50 PM UTC

References

[Debian Security Tracker] · [FIRST EPSS] · [OSV Package Vulnerability Database] · [SUSE security advisories and VEX]