CVE-2016-20038
yTree 1.94-1.1 Stack-Based Buffer Overflow
yTree 1.94-1.1 contains a stack-based buffer overflow vulnerability that allows local attackers to execute arbitrary code by supplying an excessively long argument to the application. Attackers can craft a malicious command-line argument containing shellcode and a return address to overwrite the stack and execute code in the application context.
Attack profile
How easy it is to exploit
- Attack vector
- Local
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges needed
- None
- User interaction
- None
What an attacker can affect
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- High
Exploit likelihood
What each source reports
CVE List Score used
yTree 1.94-1.1 Stack-Based Buffer Overflow
yTree 1.94-1.1 contains a stack-based buffer overflow vulnerability that allows local attackers to execute arbitrary code by supplying an excessively long argument to the application. Attackers can craft a malicious command-line argument containing shellcode and a return address to overwrite the stack and execute code in the application context.
- Record
CVE-2016-20038- CVSS 4.0
- 8.6 High
CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N - CVSS 3.1
- 8.4 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-787
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2016-10831
yTree 1.94-1.1 contains a stack-based buffer overflow vulnerability that allows local attackers to execute arbitrary code by supplying an excessively long argument to the application. Attackers can craft a malicious command-line argument containing shellcode and a return address to overwrite the stack and execute code in the application context.
- Record
EUVD-2016-10831- CVSS 4.0
- 8.6 High
CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N - Updated
- 2026-11-02
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-wpqm-56h6-gcww
yTree 1.94-1.1 contains a stack-based buffer overflow vulnerability that allows local attackers...
yTree 1.94-1.1 contains a stack-based buffer overflow vulnerability that allows local attackers to execute arbitrary code by supplying an excessively long argument to the application. Attackers can craft a malicious command-line argument containing shellcode and a return address to overwrite the stack and execute code in the application context.
- Record
GHSA-wpqm-56h6-gcww- CVSS 4.0
- 8.6 High
CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:X/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:X - CVSS 3.1
- 8.4 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-787
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
NVD
yTree 1.94-1.1 contains a stack-based buffer overflow vulnerability that allows local attackers to execute arbitrary code by supplying an excessively long argument to the application. Attackers can craft a malicious command-line argument containing shellcode and a return address to overwrite the stack and execute code in the application context.
- Record
CVE-2016-20038- CVSS 4.0
- 8.6 High
CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:X/CR:X/IR:X/AR:X/MAV:X/MAC:X/MAT:X/MPR:X/MUI:X/MVC:X/MVI:X/MVA:X/MSC:X/MSI:X/MSA:X/S:X/AU:X/R:X/V:X/RE:X/U:X - CVSS 3.1
- 8.4 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - Weakness
- CWE-787
- Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVDEBIAN-CVE-2016-20038
yTree 1.94-1.1 contains a stack-based buffer overflow vulnerability that allows local attackers to execute arbitrary code by supplying an excessively long argument to the application. Attackers can craft a malicious command-line argument containing shellcode and a return address to overwrite the stack and execute code in the application context.
- Record
DEBIAN-CVE-2016-20038- CVSS 3.1
- 8.4 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - Updated
- 2026-11-02
OSVUBUNTU-CVE-2016-20038
yTree 1.94-1.1 contains a stack-based buffer overflow vulnerability that allows local attackers to execute arbitrary code by supplying an excessively long argument to the application. Attackers can craft a malicious command-line argument containing shellcode and a return address to overwrite the stack and execute code in the application context.
- Record
UBUNTU-CVE-2016-20038- CVSS 4.0
- 8.6 High
CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N - CVSS 3.1
- 8.4 High
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H - Updated
- 2026-11-02
Affected products
Affected packages
| Package | Affected | Fixed |
|---|---|---|
ytreeUbuntu:16.04:LTS |
All versions, plus listed versions 1.94-1.11.94-1.1build1 |
None known |
ytreeUbuntu:18.04:LTS |
All versions, plus listed versions 1.94-2 |
None known |
ytreeUbuntu:20.04:LTS |
All versions, plus listed versions 1.99pl1-2 |
None known |
ytreeUbuntu:22.04:LTS |
All versions, plus listed versions 1.99pl1-2 |
None known |
ytreeUbuntu:24.04:LTS |
All versions, plus listed versions 1.99pl1-2.11.99pl1-2.21.99pl1-2.2build11.99pl1-2.2build2 |
None known |
ytreeUbuntu:25.10 |
All versions, plus listed versions 1.99pl1-2.2build2 |
None known |
ytreeUbuntu:26.10 |
All versions, plus listed versions 1.99pl1-2.2build2 |
None known |
ytreeUbuntu:26.04:LTS |
All versions, plus listed versions 1.99pl1-2.2build2 |
None known |
History
| Recorded | Changed | Sources |
|---|---|---|
| facts | ||
| affected | ||
| first indexed | CVE List, EUVD, GitHub Advisories, NVD, OSV |
Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.
In short
CVE-2016-20038 is a high vulnerability (CVSS 8.6) in Werner Ytree, published March 28, 2026. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 0.18%, the 8th percentile. No source names a fixed version.
References
exploit-db.com/exploits/39406
han.de/~werner/ytree.html
vulncheck.com/advisories/ytree-stack-based-buffer-overflow
nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2016-20038
github.com/advisories/GHSA-wpqm-56h6-gcww
security-tracker.debian.org/tracker/CVE-2016-20038
ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2016-20038
cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2016-20038