CVE-2025-69720 in ncurses
Summary
by MITRE • 03/19/2026
The infocmp command-line tool in ncurses before 6.5-20251213 has a stack-based buffer overflow in analyze_string in progs/infocmp.c.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/21/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2025-69720 represents a critical stack-based buffer overflow affecting the infocmp command-line tool within the ncurses library ecosystem. This flaw exists in versions prior to 6.5-20251213 and specifically manifests within the analyze_string function located in the progs/infocmp.c source file. The ncurses library serves as a fundamental component for terminal handling and screen management across numerous Unix-like operating systems and applications, making this vulnerability particularly concerning due to its potential for widespread impact. The infocmp utility is commonly used to compare terminal descriptions and analyze capabilities stored in terminfo database files, which are essential for proper terminal behavior in text-based user interfaces.
The technical implementation of this buffer overflow occurs when the analyze_string function processes input data without adequate bounds checking, allowing maliciously crafted input to exceed the allocated stack buffer size. This condition creates a classic stack corruption scenario where adjacent memory locations can be overwritten, potentially leading to arbitrary code execution or system instability. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and memory management practices within the ncurses library's terminal description parsing logic. Attackers could exploit this by providing specially crafted terminal description data that triggers the overflow during processing, potentially enabling privilege escalation or denial of service conditions depending on the execution context and system configuration.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends across multiple system environments where ncurses is utilized, including but not limited to terminal emulators, text editors, system monitoring tools, and various command-line applications. Systems running vulnerable versions of ncurses may be susceptible to remote exploitation if they process untrusted terminal description data from external sources, such as network services or user-provided configuration files. The vulnerability's exploitation potential aligns with attack patterns documented in the attack mitigation framework, particularly concerning buffer overflow exploitation techniques and the use of stack-based memory corruption as a primary attack vector. This flaw represents a significant concern for system administrators and security professionals managing environments where terminal-based applications are prevalent.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2025-69720 should prioritize immediate patching of affected systems with the updated ncurses library version 6.5-20251213 or later, which incorporates proper bounds checking and memory management fixes. System administrators should also implement input validation controls for any applications that process terminal description data, particularly those that accept external or user-provided terminfo configurations. Additional protective measures include network segmentation to limit exposure of vulnerable services, implementation of privilege separation for terminal handling components, and regular security audits of terminal-based applications. The vulnerability's classification aligns with CWE-121 stack-based buffer overflow and falls within ATT&CK technique T1059 command and scripting interpreter for execution, emphasizing the need for comprehensive defensive measures across multiple security layers to prevent exploitation and maintain system integrity.