# CVE-2020-6115: Use after free in Nitro Pro

> A use-after-free vulnerability in Nitro Pro allows attackers to execute arbitrary code via a specially crafted PDF document.

- **Severity:** High 8.8 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 17 Sep 2020
- **Updated:** 4 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-pc78-6jfc-54mv

## What is CVE-2020-6115?

CVE-2020-6115 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Nitro Pro, published on 17 Sep 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

An exploitable vulnerability exists in the cross-reference table repairing functionality of Nitro Software, Inc.’s Nitro Pro 13.13.2.242. While searching for an object identifier in a malformed document that is missing from the cross-reference table, the application will save a reference to the object’s cross-reference table entry inside a stack variable. If the referenced object identifier is not found, the application may resize the cross-reference table which can change the scope of its entry. Later when the application tries to reference cross-reference entry via the stack variable, the application will access memory belonging to the recently freed table causing a use-after-free condition. A specially crafted document can be delivered by an attacker and loaded by a victim in order to trigger this vulnerability.

Weakness: CWE-416 (Use After Free)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2020-6115?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Gonitro Nitro Pro.

## How do I fix CVE-2020-6115?

No fix has been published for CVE-2020-6115 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2020-6115 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2020-6115 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Nitro Pro

- [CVE-2021-21796](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-21796/): Use after free in Nitro Pro (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2021-21797](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-21797/): Use after free in Nitro Pro (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2021-21798](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-21798/): Use after free in Nitro Pro (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2020-6112](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-6112/): Memory corruption in Nitro Pro (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2020-6113](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-6113/): Integer overflow in Nitro Pro (high 8.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2020-6115 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2020-6115 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Nitro Pro, published on 17 Sep 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: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2020-6115 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Nitro Pro. 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-2020-6115/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-6115/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2020-6115
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-6115
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2020-6115

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-6115/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.