CVE-2020-36317

Name: CVE-2020-36317
Creator: NVD / NIST
Published: 2021-04-11T20:15:12.39+00:00
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/

HIGHCVSS 7.5/10EPSS 1.51%

Last modified Jun 17, 2026

CVE-2020-36317 is a high-severity vulnerability rated 7.5/10 on the CVSS scale. In the standard library in Rust before 1.49.0, String::retain() function has a panic safety problem. It allows creation of a non-UTF-8 Rust string when the provided closure panics. EPSS estimates a 1.51% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days.

Description

In the standard library in Rust before 1.49.0, String::retain() function has a panic safety problem. It allows creation of a non-UTF-8 Rust string when the provided closure panics. This bug could result in a memory safety violation when other string APIs assume that UTF-8 encoding is used on the same string.

Metrics

CVSS 3.1

7.5/10

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H

EPSS Probability

1.51%

71.2th percentile

Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days. Learn more

Weakness Enumeration

CWE-787

Affected Software

Vendor	Product	Versions
Rust-Lang	Rust	< 1.49.0

References

https://github.com/rust-lang/rust/issues/78498Exploit, Issue Tracking, Third Party Advisory
https://github.com/rust-lang/rust/pull/78499Patch, Third Party Advisory
https://github.com/rust-lang/rust/issues/78498Exploit, Issue Tracking, Third Party Advisory
https://github.com/rust-lang/rust/pull/78499Patch, Third Party Advisory

Timeline

Published: Apr 11, 2021
Last Modified: Jun 17, 2026
Status: Modified

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2020-36317?

How severe is CVE-2020-36317?

CVE-2020-36317 has a CVSS score of 7.5/10 (HIGH severity). The EPSS model estimates a 1.51% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

How do I fix CVE-2020-36317?

Check the vendor references and advisories linked above for patched versions and mitigation guidance. You can also run a Strix scan to test if your systems are affected.

Are you affected by CVE-2020-36317?

Run a free Strix scan to check your systems for this vulnerability.

Scan your code now

Source: NVD / NIST