# CVE-2020-15999: Google Chrome FreeType Heap Buffer Overflow > A heap buffer overflow in Freetype allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a crafted HTML page in Google Chrome. - **Severity:** Critical 9.6 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H`) - **Exploited in the wild:** Yes, since 3 Nov 2021 (CISA KEV) - **Login needed:** Not needed - **Attackable:** Over the internet - **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something - **Fix available:** Yes - **Published:** 3 Nov 2020 - **Updated:** 21 Oct 2025 - **Also known as:** A-171232105, ALPINE-CVE-2020-15999, ALSA-2020:4952, ASB-A-171232105, AZL-8324, DEBIAN-CVE-2020-15999, DLA-2415-1, DSA-4777-1, GHSA-pv36-h7jh-qm62, JLSEC-2026-456, MGASA-2020-0389, RHSA-2020:4907, RHSA-2020:4949, RHSA-2020:4950, RHSA-2020:4951, RHSA-2020:4952, RLSA-2020:4952, SUSE-SU-2020:2995-1, SUSE-SU-2020:2998-1, UBUNTU-CVE-2020-15999, USN-4593-1, USN-4593-2, openSUSE-SU-2020:1734-1, openSUSE-SU-2020:1744-1 ## What is CVE-2020-15999? CVE-2020-15999 is a critical memory corruption vulnerability in Debian Debian Linux, published on 3 Nov 2020. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link. ### Official description Heap buffer overflow in Freetype in Google Chrome prior to 86.0.4240.111 allowed a remote attacker to potentially exploit heap corruption via a crafted HTML page. Weakness: CWE-787 (Out-of-bounds Write), CWE-120 (Buffer Copy without Checking Size of Input) ## Which versions are affected by CVE-2020-15999? 8 open source packages ship an affected version, including CefSharp.Common, CefSharp.WinForms and CefSharp.Wpf. It affects 6 products. | Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | `CefSharp.Common` | NuGet | All versions | 85.3.130 | | `CefSharp.Common` | NuGet | All versions | 85.3.130 | | `CefSharp.WinForms` | NuGet | All versions | 85.3.130 | | `CefSharp.WinForms` | NuGet | All versions | 85.3.130 | | `CefSharp.Wpf` | NuGet | All versions | 85.3.130 | | `CefSharp.Wpf` | NuGet | All versions | 85.3.130 | | `CefSharp.Wpf.HwndHost` | NuGet | All versions | 85.3.130 | | `CefSharp.Wpf.HwndHost` | NuGet | All versions | 85.3.130 | | `freetype` | AlmaLinux:8 | All versions | 2.9.1-4.el8_3.1 | | `freetype-devel` | AlmaLinux:8 | All versions | 2.9.1-4.el8_3.1 | | `freetype` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | All versions | 0:2.8-14.el7_9.1 | | `freetype-debuginfo` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | All versions | 0:2.8-14.el7_9.1 | | `freetype-demos` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | All versions | 0:2.8-14.el7_9.1 | | `freetype-devel` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | All versions | 0:2.8-14.el7_9.1 | | `freetype-debuginfo` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::computenode | All versions | 0:2.8-14.el7_9.1 | | `freetype-demos` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::computenode | All versions | 0:2.8-14.el7_9.1 | | `freetype-devel` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::computenode | All versions | 0:2.8-14.el7_9.1 | | `freetype` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::server | All versions | 0:2.8-14.el7_9.1 | | `freetype-debuginfo` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::server | All versions | 0:2.8-14.el7_9.1 | | `freetype-demos` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::server | All versions | 0:2.8-14.el7_9.1 | | `freetype-devel` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::server | All versions | 0:2.8-14.el7_9.1 | | `freetype` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::workstation | All versions | 0:2.8-14.el7_9.1 | | `freetype-debuginfo` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::workstation | All versions | 0:2.8-14.el7_9.1 | | `freetype-demos` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::workstation | All versions | 0:2.8-14.el7_9.1 | | `freetype-devel` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::workstation | All versions | 0:2.8-14.el7_9.1 | | `freetype` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::baseos | All versions | 0:2.9.1-4.el8_3.1 | | `freetype-debuginfo` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::baseos | All versions | 0:2.9.1-4.el8_3.1 | | `freetype-debugsource` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::baseos | All versions | 0:2.9.1-4.el8_3.1 | | `freetype-demos-debuginfo` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::baseos | All versions | 0:2.9.1-4.el8_3.1 | | `freetype-devel` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::baseos | All versions | 0:2.9.1-4.el8_3.1 | | `freetype` | Red Hat:rhel_e4s:8.0::baseos | All versions | 0:2.9.1-4.el8_0.1 | | `freetype-debuginfo` | Red Hat:rhel_e4s:8.0::baseos | All versions | 0:2.9.1-4.el8_0.1 | | `freetype-debugsource` | Red Hat:rhel_e4s:8.0::baseos | All versions | 0:2.9.1-4.el8_0.1 | | `freetype-demos-debuginfo` | Red Hat:rhel_e4s:8.0::baseos | All versions | 0:2.9.1-4.el8_0.1 | | `freetype-devel` | Red Hat:rhel_e4s:8.0::baseos | All versions | 0:2.9.1-4.el8_0.1 | | `freetype` | Red Hat:rhel_eus:8.1::baseos | All versions | 0:2.9.1-4.el8_1.1 | | `freetype-debuginfo` | Red Hat:rhel_eus:8.1::baseos | All versions | 0:2.9.1-4.el8_1.1 | | `freetype-debugsource` | Red Hat:rhel_eus:8.1::baseos | All versions | 0:2.9.1-4.el8_1.1 | | `freetype-demos-debuginfo` | Red Hat:rhel_eus:8.1::baseos | All versions | 0:2.9.1-4.el8_1.1 | | `freetype-devel` | Red Hat:rhel_eus:8.1::baseos | All versions | 0:2.9.1-4.el8_1.1 | Products: Debian Debian Linux, Fedoraproject Fedora, Freetype Freetype, Google Chrome, Netapp Ontap Select Deploy Administration Utility, Opensuse Backports Sle. ## How do I fix CVE-2020-15999? Upgrade CefSharp.Common to 85.3.130 or later. US federal agencies must fix it by 17 Nov 2021. ## Is CVE-2020-15999 being exploited? Yes. Attackers have exploited CVE-2020-15999 in the wild since at least 3 Nov 2021. Public exploit code: - CVE-2020-15999 (github_poc): https://github.com/oxfemale/CVE-2020-15999 - Todos los materiales necesarios para la PoC en Chrome y ftview (github_poc): https://github.com/Marmeus/CVE-2020-15999 - Repositorio con un script encargado de explotar la vulnerabilidad CVE-2020-15999 (github_poc): https://github.com/maarlo/CVE-2020-15999 ## Other vulnerabilities in Debian Debian Linux - [CVE-2015-3306](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2015-3306/): ProFTPD Improper Access Control (critical 10.0, exploited in the wild) - [CVE-2025-49113](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-49113/): RoundCube Webmail Deserialization of Untrusted Data (critical 9.9, exploited in the wild) - [CVE-2026-24061](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-24061/): GNU InetUtils Argument Injection (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild) - [CVE-2025-39682](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-39682/): Linux Kernel Improper Check for Unusual or Exceptional Conditions (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild) - [CVE-2024-9680](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-9680/): Mozilla Firefox Use-After-Free (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild) ## Fix prompt for AI coding agents ```text Check this codebase for CVE-2020-15999 and fix it if it is affected. What it is: CVE-2020-15999 is a critical memory corruption vulnerability in Debian Debian Linux, published on 3 Nov 2020. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link. Exploitation: Yes. Attackers have exploited CVE-2020-15999 in the wild since at least 3 Nov 2021. Affected packages and fixed versions: - CefSharp.Common (NuGet): affected all versions; fixed in 85.3.130 - CefSharp.Common (NuGet): affected all versions; fixed in 85.3.130 - CefSharp.WinForms (NuGet): affected all versions; fixed in 85.3.130 - CefSharp.WinForms (NuGet): affected all versions; fixed in 85.3.130 - CefSharp.Wpf (NuGet): affected all versions; fixed in 85.3.130 - CefSharp.Wpf (NuGet): affected all versions; fixed in 85.3.130 - CefSharp.Wpf.HwndHost (NuGet): affected all versions; fixed in 85.3.130 - CefSharp.Wpf.HwndHost (NuGet): affected all versions; fixed in 85.3.130 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-2020-15999/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-15999/index.md) ``` ## Sources - CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2020-15999 - NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-15999 - OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2020-15999 --- From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-15999/ Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.