How severe is CVE-2020-16600?

CVE-2020-16600 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.8, rated high severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.

Is CVE-2020-16600 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 1% (57th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2020-16600?

CVE-2020-16600 primarily affects Artifex Mupdf. In total, 2 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.

How do I fix CVE-2020-16600?

Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its high severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.

When was CVE-2020-16600 published?

CVE-2020-16600 was published on 2020-12-09 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2020-16600

CVE-2020-16600 is a high-severity vulnerability in Artifex Mupdf with a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.8. It is not currently listed as actively exploited by CISA, and its EPSS exploit-prediction score is low. The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-416.

Key facts

Severity: High (CVSS 3.x base score 7.8)
CVSS v2: 6.8
EPSS exploit prediction: 1% (57th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-416
Affected product: Artifex Mupdf
Published: 2020-12-09
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

A Use After Free vulnerability exists in Artifex Software, Inc. MuPDF library 1.17.0-rc1 and earlier when a valid page was followed by a page with invalid pixmap dimensions, causing bander - a static - to point to previously freed memory instead of a newband_writer.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2020-16600?: A Use After Free vulnerability exists in Artifex Software, Inc. MuPDF library 1.17.0-rc1 and earlier when a valid page was followed by a page with invalid pixmap dimensions, causing bander - a static - to point to previously freed memory instead of a newband_writer.
How severe is CVE-2020-16600?: CVE-2020-16600 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.8, rated high severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.
Is CVE-2020-16600 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 1% (57th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2020-16600?: CVE-2020-16600 primarily affects Artifex Mupdf. In total, 2 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2020-16600?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its high severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.
When was CVE-2020-16600 published?: CVE-2020-16600 was published on 2020-12-09 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (2)

cpe:2.3:a:artifex:mupdf:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:artifex:mupdf:1.17.0:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:*

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CVE-2019-7321 — Critical (CVSS 9.8): Usage of an uninitialized variable in the function fz_load_jpeg in Artifex MuPDF 1.14 can result in a heap overflow…
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CVE-2011-0341 — Critical (CVSS 9.3): Stack-based buffer overflow in the pdfmoz_onmouse function in apps/mozilla/moz_main.c in the MuPDF plug-in 2008.09.02…
CVE-2012-5340 — High (CVSS 7.8): SumatraPDF 2.1.1/MuPDF 1.0 allows remote attackers to cause an Integer Overflow in the lex_number() function via a…
CVE-2019-13290 — High (CVSS 7.8): Artifex MuPDF 1.15.0 has a heap-based buffer overflow in fz_append_display_node located at fitz/list-device.c, allowing…
CVE-2018-1000038 — High (CVSS 7.8): In Artifex MuPDF 1.12.0 and earlier, a stack buffer overflow in function pdf_lookup_cmap_full in pdf/pdf-cmap.c could…

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Other CWE-416 (Use After Free) vulnerabilities

CVE-2026-13782 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): Use after free in Browser in Google Chrome prior to 150.0.7871.47 allowed a remote attacker who had compromised the…
CVE-2026-4725 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): Sandbox escape due to use-after-free in the Graphics: Canvas2D component. This vulnerability was fixed in Firefox 149…
CVE-2026-4688 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): Sandbox escape due to use-after-free in the Disability Access APIs component. This vulnerability was fixed in Firefox…
CVE-2025-24085 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): A use after free issue was addressed with improved memory management. This issue is fixed in iOS 18.3 and iPadOS 18.3,…
CVE-2024-43102 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): Concurrent removals of certain anonymous shared memory mappings by using the UMTX_SHM_DESTROY sub-request of…
CVE-2021-32495 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): Radare2 has a use-after-free vulnerability in pyc parser's get_none_object function. Attacker can read freed memory…

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