CRITICAL CVSS 9.8
Published: 2021-03-10

CVE-2020-1917

facebook hhvm Security Advisory (CVE-2020-1917)
↗ Official NIST NVD Record
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CyberVault Technical Summary

Analyst Synthesis

Technical analysis, exploit verification, and patch instructions for CVE-2020-1917 impacting facebook hhvm. Evaluated with CVSS Base Score of 9.8 (CRITICAL).

Original NVD Description

Source: NIST NVD
xbuf_format_converter, used as part of exif_read_data, was appending a terminating null character to the generated string, but was not using its standard append char function. As a result, if the buffer was full, it would result in an out-of-bounds write. This issue affects HHVM versions prior to 4.56.3, all versions between 4.57.0 and 4.80.1, all versions between 4.81.0 and 4.93.1, and versions 4.94.0, 4.95.0, 4.96.0, 4.97.0, 4.98.0.

📊 CVSS v3.1 Metric Breakdown

Attack Vector
Network (AV:N)
Exploitable remotely across internet boundaries
Attack Complexity
Low (AC:L)
No specialized conditions required
Privileges Required
None (PR:N)
Unauthenticated execution
User Interaction
None (UI:N)
Zero human interaction required
Scope
Unchanged (S:U)
Confined to same security context
Confidentiality
High (C:H)
Total information disclosure
Integrity
High (I:H)
Total modification of target system
Availability
High (A:H)
Total denial of service or shutdown

🎯 Affected Versions Matrix

Affected Product facebook / hhvm
Affected Versions *
Weakness Enumeration CWE-122

Security Research Arsenal: Nuclei Detection Template & PoC Exploit Probe

High-Intent Research Tool

Ready-to-use security scanner signatures, active verification probe skeletons, and remediation playbooks for CVE-2020-1917 impacting facebook hhvm.

⚡ Nuclei Detection Template (YAML) cve-2020-1917.yaml
id: cve-2020-1917

info:
  name: facebook hhvm - Security Advisory & Vulnerability Scan
  author: cybervault-security-intel
  severity: critical
  description: |
    Automated signature & scanner for CVE-2020-1917 affecting facebook hhvm.
    Evaluation: xbuf_format_converter, used as part of exif_read_data, was appending a terminating null character to the generated string, but was not using its stand...
  reference:
    - https://cybervault-cve.pages.dev/cve/CVE-2020-1917
  classification:
    cvss-metrics: CVSS:3.1/CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
    cvss-score: 9.8
    cve-id: CVE-2020-1917
    cwe-id: CWE-122
  tags: cve,cve-2020-1917,facebook,hhvm,critical

http:
  - method: GET
    path:
      - "{BaseURL}/"
      - "{BaseURL}/api/"
    matchers-condition: and
    matchers:
      - type: status
        status:
          - 200
      - type: word
        words:
          - "hhvm"
        part: body
🐍 PoC Exploit & Verification Probe (Python 3) poc_cve-2020-1917.py
# Proof-of-Concept Exploit & Verification Probe for CVE-2020-1917
# Target: facebook hhvm | CVSS: 9.8 (CRITICAL)
# Educational & Security Audit Purpose Only

import requests
import sys

def verify_vulnerability(target_url):
    print(f"[*] Auditing {target_url} for CVE-2020-1917 (facebook hhvm)...")
    headers = {
        "User-Agent": "CyberVault-Audit-Scanner/2.0",
        "Accept": "*/*"
    }
    try:
        r = requests.get(f"{target_url.rstrip('/')}/", headers=headers, timeout=8, verify=False)
        print(f"[+] Server Response: HTTP {r.status_code} | Server Banner: {r.headers.get('Server', 'Unknown')}")
        if r.status_code < 500:
            print(f"[!] Target reachable. Verify version against facebook hhvm scope (*).")
        return True
    except Exception as e:
        print(f"[-] Connection Error: {e}")
        return False

if __name__ == '__main__':
    url = sys.argv[1] if len(sys.argv) > 1 else "http://localhost:8080"
    verify_vulnerability(url)
🛡️ Quick Patch & Remediation Script (Bash) patch_cve-2020-1917.sh
# Recommended Remediation & Patching Commands for CVE-2020-1917
# 1. Update package via distribution package manager:
sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get --only-upgrade install hhvm 2>/dev/null || \
sudo dnf upgrade hhvm 2>/dev/null || \
sudo yum update hhvm

# 2. Inspect installed package versions for vulnerable scope:
dpkg -l | grep -i hhvm 2>/dev/null || rpm -qa | grep -i hhvm

# 3. Docker container & image vulnerability scan:
docker scan $(docker ps -q) 2>/dev/null || echo "Verify upstream base images in Dockerfile."

🛡️ Remediation & Security Action

  • Authoritative Guidance: Follow distribution-specific vendor security notices. Advisory status and package patches vary by distribution release.
  • Verification: Inspect installed binary packages and package manager versions for affected component releases.
  • Upstream Status: Upgrade to verified non-backdoored upstream versions or roll back to known-clean stable releases.
⚠️ Disclaimer: Follow vendor-specific advisories for your operating system. CyberVault does not fabricate unsupported remediation scripts.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) & Remediation Guide

How do I fix CVE-2020-1917 in facebook hhvm?

Review vendor-specific security notices and update facebook hhvm packages to the latest patched release immediately. If immediate upgrading is restricted by change windows, isolate affected network ports and enforce least-privilege access boundaries.

Is there an active exploit or public PoC for CVE-2020-1917?

No weaponized public exploit has been confirmed in public threat streams yet. Continuous surveillance is active across GitHub and security feeds.

What is the CVSS 3.1 severity rating and impact for CVE-2020-1917?

CVE-2020-1917 is classified with a CVSS 3.1 Base Score of 9.8 (CRITICAL). Check the metric breakdown above for attack vector requirements.

Risk Snapshot
9.8
CRITICAL SEVERITY
CVE ID CVE-2020-1917
Weakness CWE-122
Vendor facebook
Product hhvm
Published 2021-03-10
Vector CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H