# CVE-2017-20229: MAWK 1.3.3-17 Stack-Based Buffer Overflow

> Attackers can execute arbitrary code via stack-based buffer overflow in MAWK by crafting malicious input, requiring patching of the text processing utility.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.3 (`CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 28 Mar 2026
- **Updated:** 15 Jul 2026
- **Also known as:** ECHO-138c-59c7-4e66, GHSA-gr5j-p8gh-7jpr, UBUNTU-CVE-2017-20229

## What is CVE-2017-20229?

CVE-2017-20229 is a critical memory corruption vulnerability in MAWK, published on 28 Mar 2026. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

MAWK 1.3.3-17 and prior contains a stack-based buffer overflow vulnerability that allows attackers to execute arbitrary code by exploiting inadequate boundary checks on user-supplied input. Attackers can craft malicious input that overflows the stack buffer and execute a return-oriented programming chain to spawn a shell with application privileges.

Weakness: CWE-787 (Out-of-bounds Write)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2017-20229?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Invisible-Island Mawk.

## How do I fix CVE-2017-20229?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2017-20229 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2017-20229 exists.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2017-20229 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2017-20229 is a critical memory corruption vulnerability in MAWK, published on 28 Mar 2026. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2017-20229 exists.

Affected product: MAWK. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-20229/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-20229/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2017-20229
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2017-20229
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2017-20229

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-20229/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.