CVE-2020-8285

Exp

curl 7.21.0 to and including 7.73.0 is vulnerable to uncontrolled recursion due to a stack overflow issue in FTP wildcard match parsing.

Published: 2020-12-14 Last update: 2026-04-16 Assigner: [email protected] Source: [email protected]

Conclusion & alert: CVE-2020-8285 is rated High Exploit Risk (70.5/100): CVSS High severity, with medium exploitation likelihood (EPSS 0.74%). Core evidence: 1 public exploit reference(s) are indexed (Exploit-DB). Mandatory action: Public exploits are available—assess exposure, apply mitigations, and prioritize patching.

Risk is dynamic; we continuously reassess and refresh what is shown on this page as upstream context changes.

Public exploit references (Exploit-DB) for CVE-2020-8285

EDB-ID Source Kind Published Link
nvd_ref exploit_tag Exploit-DB ↗

Exploit prediction scoring system (EPSS) score for CVE-2020-8285

EPSS lead: Daily EPSS estimates relative likelihood of exploitation; percentile ranks this CVE among scored vulnerabilities (higher = more severe relative rank).

# Date Old EPSS score New EPSS score Delta (New - Old)
1 2025-12-28 0.62% 0.74% +0.12%
2 2025-12-27 0.74% 0.62% -0.12%
3 2025-12-24 0.74%

Full EPSS history (49 records total)

Common vulnerability scoring system (CVSS) metrics for CVE-2020-8285

CVSS metrics for this CVE.

Base score Version Severity Vector Exploitability Impact Score source
7.5 3.1 HIGH
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H Click to expand
Attack vector (AV:N)
Could be attacked over the internet or any normal routed network—not just someone sitting at the machine.
Attack complexity (AC:L)
Once they can reach the bug, pulling it off is straightforward—no weird race conditions or rare setup.
Privileges required (PR:N)
No account or special rights needed—anonymous or random user is enough.
User interaction (UI:N)
Nobody has to click “OK” or open a trap file; it can work without a victim helping.
Scope (S:U)
Damage stays in the same “trust bubble” as the broken component—no big spill into unrelated systems.
Confidentiality (C:N)
Doesn’t really leak secrets in a meaningful way.
Integrity (I:N)
Data isn’t meaningfully altered or forged.
Availability (A:H)
Could take the service down hard or make it unusable for people who depend on it.
3.9 3.6 [email protected]
7.5 3.1 HIGH
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H Click to expand
Attack vector (AV:N)
Could be attacked over the internet or any normal routed network—not just someone sitting at the machine.
Attack complexity (AC:L)
Once they can reach the bug, pulling it off is straightforward—no weird race conditions or rare setup.
Privileges required (PR:N)
No account or special rights needed—anonymous or random user is enough.
User interaction (UI:N)
Nobody has to click “OK” or open a trap file; it can work without a victim helping.
Scope (S:U)
Damage stays in the same “trust bubble” as the broken component—no big spill into unrelated systems.
Confidentiality (C:N)
Doesn’t really leak secrets in a meaningful way.
Integrity (I:N)
Data isn’t meaningfully altered or forged.
Availability (A:H)
Could take the service down hard or make it unusable for people who depend on it.
3.9 3.6 134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0
5.0 2.0 MEDIUM
AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:N/I:N/A:P Click to expand
Access vector (AV:N)
Can be exploited remotely over network reachability.
Access complexity (AC:L)
Exploitation conditions are straightforward and predictable.
Authentication (AU:N)
No authentication is required.
Confidentiality impact (C:N)
No confidentiality impact.
Integrity impact (I:N)
No integrity impact.
Availability impact (A:P)
Partial availability impact.
10.0 2.9 [email protected]

Weakness enumeration for CVE-2020-8285

OS Trackers for CVE-2020-8285

vendor priority summary link
alpine CVE-2020-8285: 1 source package rows (curl); 10 state rows across 10 repos (3.10-main, 3.11-main, 3.12-main, 3.17-main, 3.18-main, 3.19-main, 3.20-main, 3.21-main, 3.22-main, edge-main); fixed 10, open 0. https://security.alpinelinux.org/vuln/CVE-2020-8285
debian not yet assigned CVE-2020-8285 not yet assigned priority: Debian including 1 source packages (curl), 5 status rows across 5 suites (bookworm, bullseye, forky, sid, trixie): resolved 5. https://security-tracker.debian.org/tracker/CVE-2020-8285
gentoo normal CVE-2020-8285: 1 GLSA(s) (202012-14), 1 atom(s) (net-misc/curl); latest impact normal. https://bugs.gentoo.org/buglist.cgi?quicksearch=CVE-2020-8285
redhat medium https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2020-8285
suse medium CVE-2020-8285 severity moderate: SUSE including 436 source package names (0.1.0:libcurl4-7.60.0-3.35.1, 0.1.75:libcurl4-7.60.0-3.35.1, …), 639 product×package rows across 210 product lines (Container bci/bci-init, Container bci/dotnet-aspnet, … (210 product lines)): Fixed 502, Known Affected 129, Known Not Affected 8. https://www.suse.com/security/cve/CVE-2020-8285/
ubuntu medium CVE-2020-8285 medium priority: Ubuntu including 1 source packages (curl), 6 status rows across 6 suites (bionic, focal, groovy, trusty, upstream, xenial): released 6. https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2020-8285

Affected software / configurations for CVE-2020-8285

Vendor Product Version Raw CPE
haxx libcurl >= 7.21.0, < 7.74.0 cpe:2.3:a:haxx:libcurl:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
debian debian_linux 9.0 cpe:2.3:o:debian:debian_linux:9.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
debian debian_linux 10.0 cpe:2.3:o:debian:debian_linux:10.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
fedoraproject fedora 32 cpe:2.3:o:fedoraproject:fedora:32:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
fedoraproject fedora 33 cpe:2.3:o:fedoraproject:fedora:33:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
netapp clustered_data_ontap cpe:2.3:a:netapp:clustered_data_ontap:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
netapp hci_management_node cpe:2.3:a:netapp:hci_management_node:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
netapp solidfire cpe:2.3:a:netapp:solidfire:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
netapp hci_bootstrap_os cpe:2.3:o:netapp:hci_bootstrap_os:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
netapp hci_storage_node_firmware cpe:2.3:o:netapp:hci_storage_node_firmware:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
apple mac_os_x < 10.14.6 cpe:2.3:o:apple:mac_os_x:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
apple mac_os_x >= 10.15, < 10.15.7 cpe:2.3:o:apple:mac_os_x:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
apple mac_os_x 10.14.6 cpe:2.3:o:apple:mac_os_x:10.14.6:-:*:*:*:*:*:*
apple mac_os_x 10.14.6 cpe:2.3:o:apple:mac_os_x:10.14.6:security_update_2019-001:*:*:*:*:*:*
apple mac_os_x 10.14.6 cpe:2.3:o:apple:mac_os_x:10.14.6:security_update_2019-002:*:*:*:*:*:*
apple mac_os_x 10.14.6 cpe:2.3:o:apple:mac_os_x:10.14.6:security_update_2020-001:*:*:*:*:*:*
apple mac_os_x 10.14.6 cpe:2.3:o:apple:mac_os_x:10.14.6:security_update_2020-002:*:*:*:*:*:*
apple mac_os_x 10.14.6 cpe:2.3:o:apple:mac_os_x:10.14.6:security_update_2020-003:*:*:*:*:*:*
apple mac_os_x 10.14.6 cpe:2.3:o:apple:mac_os_x:10.14.6:security_update_2020-004:*:*:*:*:*:*
apple mac_os_x 10.14.6 cpe:2.3:o:apple:mac_os_x:10.14.6:security_update_2020-005:*:*:*:*:*:*
apple mac_os_x 10.14.6 cpe:2.3:o:apple:mac_os_x:10.14.6:security_update_2020-006:*:*:*:*:*:*
apple mac_os_x 10.14.6 cpe:2.3:o:apple:mac_os_x:10.14.6:security_update_2020-007:*:*:*:*:*:*
apple mac_os_x 10.14.6 cpe:2.3:o:apple:mac_os_x:10.14.6:security_update_2021-001:*:*:*:*:*:*
apple mac_os_x 10.15.7 cpe:2.3:o:apple:mac_os_x:10.15.7:-:*:*:*:*:*:*
apple mac_os_x 10.15.7 cpe:2.3:o:apple:mac_os_x:10.15.7:security_update_2020-001:*:*:*:*:*:*
apple mac_os_x 10.15.7 cpe:2.3:o:apple:mac_os_x:10.15.7:security_update_2021-001:*:*:*:*:*:*
apple mac_os_x 10.15.7 cpe:2.3:o:apple:mac_os_x:10.15.7:supplemental_update:*:*:*:*:*:*
apple macos >= 11.0, < 11.3 cpe:2.3:o:apple:macos:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle communications_billing_and_revenue_management 12.0.0.3.0 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:communications_billing_and_revenue_management:12.0.0.3.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle communications_cloud_native_core_policy 1.14.0 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:communications_cloud_native_core_policy:1.14.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle essbase 21.2 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:essbase:21.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
oracle peoplesoft_enterprise_peopletools 8.58 cpe:2.3:a:oracle:peoplesoft_enterprise_peopletools:8.58:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
fujitsu m10-1_firmware < xcp2410 cpe:2.3:o:fujitsu:m10-1_firmware:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
fujitsu m10-4_firmware < xcp2410 cpe:2.3:o:fujitsu:m10-4_firmware:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
fujitsu m10-4s_firmware < xcp2410 cpe:2.3:o:fujitsu:m10-4s_firmware:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
fujitsu m12-1_firmware < xcp2410 cpe:2.3:o:fujitsu:m12-1_firmware:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
fujitsu m12-2_firmware < xcp2410 cpe:2.3:o:fujitsu:m12-2_firmware:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
fujitsu m12-2s_firmware < xcp2410 cpe:2.3:o:fujitsu:m12-2s_firmware:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
fujitsu m10-1_firmware < xcp3110 cpe:2.3:o:fujitsu:m10-1_firmware:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
fujitsu m10-4_firmware < xcp3110 cpe:2.3:o:fujitsu:m10-4_firmware:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
fujitsu m10-4s_firmware < xcp3110 cpe:2.3:o:fujitsu:m10-4s_firmware:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
fujitsu m12-1_firmware < xcp3110 cpe:2.3:o:fujitsu:m12-1_firmware:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
fujitsu m12-2_firmware < xcp3110 cpe:2.3:o:fujitsu:m12-2_firmware:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
fujitsu m12-2s_firmware < xcp3110 cpe:2.3:o:fujitsu:m12-2s_firmware:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
siemens sinec_infrastructure_network_services < 1.0.1.1 cpe:2.3:a:siemens:sinec_infrastructure_network_services:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
splunk universal_forwarder >= 8.2.0, < 8.2.12 cpe:2.3:a:splunk:universal_forwarder:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
splunk universal_forwarder >= 9.0.0, < 9.0.6 cpe:2.3:a:splunk:universal_forwarder:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
splunk universal_forwarder 9.1.0 cpe:2.3:a:splunk:universal_forwarder:9.1.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

References for CVE-2020-8285

URL Tags
http://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2021/Apr/51 Mailing List Third Party Advisory
https://cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/pdf/ssa-389290.pdf Patch Third Party Advisory
https://curl.se/docs/CVE-2020-8285.html Vendor Advisory
https://github.com/curl/curl/issues/6255 Exploit Third Party Advisory
https://hackerone.com/reports/1045844 Permissions Required
https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/r58af02e294bd07f487e2c64ffc0a29b837db5600e33b6e698b9d696b%40%3Cissues.bookkeeper.apache.org%3E Mailing List Third Party Advisory
https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/rf4c02775860db415b4955778a131c2795223f61cb8c6a450893651e4%40%3Cissues.bookkeeper.apache.org%3E Mailing List Third Party Advisory
https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2020/12/msg00029.html Mailing List Third Party Advisory
https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/DAEHE2S2QLO4AO4MEEYL75NB7SAH5PSL/ Mailing List Third Party Advisory
https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/NZUVSQHN2ESHMJXNQ2Z7T2EELBB5HJXG/ Mailing List Third Party Advisory
https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/202012-14 Third Party Advisory
https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20210122-0007/ Third Party Advisory
https://support.apple.com/kb/HT212325 Third Party Advisory
https://support.apple.com/kb/HT212326 Third Party Advisory
https://support.apple.com/kb/HT212327 Third Party Advisory
https://www.debian.org/security/2021/dsa-4881 Third Party Advisory
https://www.oracle.com//security-alerts/cpujul2021.html Patch Third Party Advisory
https://www.oracle.com/security-alerts/cpuApr2021.html Patch Third Party Advisory
https://www.oracle.com/security-alerts/cpuapr2022.html Patch Third Party Advisory
https://www.oracle.com/security-alerts/cpujan2022.html Patch Third Party Advisory
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