# CVE-2020-37138: 10-Strike Network Inventory Explorer 9.03 - 'Read from File' Buffer Overflow (SEH)(ROP)

> Remote attackers can execute arbitrary code by tricking users into opening a malicious text file, exploiting a stack-based buffer overflow in the import feature.

- **Severity:** High 8.4 (`CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:A/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 5 Feb 2026
- **Updated:** 5 Mar 2026
- **Also known as:** GHSA-5cq4-c9qj-83cq

## What is CVE-2020-37138?

CVE-2020-37138 is a high-severity memory corruption vulnerability in 10-Strike Software Network Inventory Explorer, published on 5 Feb 2026. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

10-Strike Network Inventory Explorer 9.03 contains a buffer overflow vulnerability in the file import functionality that allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code. Attackers can craft a malicious text file with carefully constructed payload to trigger a stack-based buffer overflow and bypass data execution prevention through a ROP chain.

Weakness: CWE-121 (Stack-based Buffer Overflow)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2020-37138?


## How do I fix CVE-2020-37138?

No fix has been published for CVE-2020-37138 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2020-37138 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2020-37138 exists.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2020-37138 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2020-37138 is a high-severity memory corruption vulnerability in 10-Strike Software Network Inventory Explorer, published on 5 Feb 2026. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2020-37138 exists.

Affected product: 10-Strike Software Network Inventory Explorer. 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-2020-37138/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-37138/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2020-37138
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-37138
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2020-37138

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-37138/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.