How severe is CVE-2020-5496?

CVE-2020-5496 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 8.8, rated high severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.

Is CVE-2020-5496 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 2% (82nd percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2020-5496?

CVE-2020-5496 primarily affects Fontforge. In total, 2 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.

How do I fix CVE-2020-5496?

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-2020-5496 published?

CVE-2020-5496 was published on 2020-01-03 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2020-5496

CVE-2020-5496 is a high-severity vulnerability in Fontforge with a CVSS 3.x base score of 8.8. 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-787.

Key facts

Severity: High (CVSS 3.x base score 8.8)
CVSS v2: 6.8
EPSS exploit prediction: 2% (82nd percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-787
Affected product: Fontforge
Published: 2020-01-03
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

FontForge 20190801 has a heap-based buffer overflow in the Type2NotDefSplines() function in splinesave.c.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2020-5496?: FontForge 20190801 has a heap-based buffer overflow in the Type2NotDefSplines() function in splinesave.c.
How severe is CVE-2020-5496?: CVE-2020-5496 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 8.8, rated high severity. It is exploitable over network with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.
Is CVE-2020-5496 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 2% (82nd percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2020-5496?: CVE-2020-5496 primarily affects Fontforge. In total, 2 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2020-5496?: 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-2020-5496 published?: CVE-2020-5496 was published on 2020-01-03 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (2)

cpe:2.3:a:fontforge:fontforge:20190801:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:opensuse:leap:15.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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