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Linux Distros Unpatched Vulnerability : CVE-2016-20044

high Nessus Plugin ID 304205

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Synopsis

The Linux/Unix host has one or more packages installed with a vulnerability that the vendor indicates will not be patched.

Description

The Linux/Unix host has one or more packages installed that are impacted by a vulnerability without a vendor supplied patch available.

 - PInfo 0.6.9-5.1 contains a local buffer overflow vulnerability that allows local attackers to execute arbitrary code by supplying an oversized argument to the -m parameter. Attackers can craft a malicious input string with 564 bytes of padding followed by a return address to overwrite the instruction pointer and execute shellcode with user privileges. (CVE-2016-20044)

Note that Nessus relies on the presence of the package as reported by the vendor.

Solution

There is no known solution at this time.

See Also

https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2016-20044

Plugin Details

Severity: High

ID: 304205

File Name: unpatched_CVE_2016_20044.nasl

Version: 1.5

Type: Local

Agent: unix

Family: Misc.

Published: 3/29/2026

Updated: 4/13/2026

Supported Sensors: Frictionless Assessment AWS, Frictionless Assessment Azure, Frictionless Assessment Agent, Nessus Agent, Agentless Assessment, Nessus

Risk Information

VPR

Risk Factor: Medium

Score: 6.7

CVSS v2

Risk Factor: Medium

Base Score: 6.8

Temporal Score: 6.1

Vector: CVSS2#AV:L/AC:L/Au:S/C:C/I:C/A:C

CVSS Score Source: CVE-2016-20044

CVSS v3

Risk Factor: High

Base Score: 7.8

Temporal Score: 7.4

Vector: CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Temporal Vector: CVSS:3.0/E:P/RL:U/RC:C

CVSS v4

Risk Factor: High

Base Score: 8.6

Threat Score: 7.3

Threat Vector: CVSS:4.0/E:P

Vector: 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

Vulnerability Information

CPE: cpe:/o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:20.04:-:lts, cpe:/o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:25.10, cpe:/o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:24.04:-:lts, cpe:/o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:16.04:-:lts, cpe:/o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:18.04:-:lts, cpe:/o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:22.04:-:lts, p-cpe:/a:canonical:ubuntu_linux:pinfo

Required KB Items: Host/local_checks_enabled, Host/cpu, global_settings/vendor_unpatched, Host/OS/identifier

Exploit Available: true

Exploit Ease: Exploits are available

Vulnerability Publication Date: 3/28/2026

Reference Information

CVE: CVE-2016-20044