---
id: CVE-2017-16879
title: >-
  Stack-based buffer overflow in the _nc_write_entry function in
  tinfo/write_entry.c in ncurses 6.0 allows attackers to cause a denial of
  service (application crash) or possibly execute arbitrary code via a crafted
  terminfo file, as demons…
summary: >-
  Stack-based buffer overflow in the _nc_write_entry function in
  tinfo/write_entry.c in ncurses 6.0 allows attackers to cause a denial of
  service (application crash) or possibly execute arbitrary code via a crafted
  terminfo file, as demons…
severity: high
cvss: 7.8
cvssVector: 'CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H'
cwe:
  - CWE-787
vendor: invisible-island
product: ncurses
affected:
  - ncurses = 6.0
published: '2017-11-22'
updated: '2026-07-23'
source: NVD
sourceUrl: 'https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2017-16879'
references:
  - url: 'http://invisible-island.net/ncurses/NEWS.html#t20171125'
    label: cve@mitre.org
  - url: >-
      http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/145045/GNU-ncurses-6.0-tic-Denial-Of-Service.html
    label: cve@mitre.org
  - url: >-
      https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/r58af02e294bd07f487e2c64ffc0a29b837db5600e33b6e698b9d696b%40%3Cissues.bookkeeper.apache.org%3E
    label: cve@mitre.org
  - url: >-
      https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/rf4c02775860db415b4955778a131c2795223f61cb8c6a450893651e4%40%3Cissues.bookkeeper.apache.org%3E
    label: cve@mitre.org
  - url: 'https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/201804-13'
    label: cve@mitre.org
  - url: 'https://tools.cisco.com/security/center/viewAlert.x?alertId=57695'
    label: cve@mitre.org
  - url: 'http://invisible-island.net/ncurses/NEWS.html#t20171125'
    label: af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108
  - url: >-
      http://packetstormsecurity.com/files/145045/GNU-ncurses-6.0-tic-Denial-Of-Service.html
    label: af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108
  - url: >-
      https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/r58af02e294bd07f487e2c64ffc0a29b837db5600e33b6e698b9d696b%40%3Cissues.bookkeeper.apache.org%3E
    label: af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108
  - url: >-
      https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/rf4c02775860db415b4955778a131c2795223f61cb8c6a450893651e4%40%3Cissues.bookkeeper.apache.org%3E
    label: af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108
  - url: 'https://security.gentoo.org/glsa/201804-13'
    label: af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108
  - url: 'https://tools.cisco.com/security/center/viewAlert.x?alertId=57695'
    label: af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108
tags:
  - nvd
epss: 0.02403
epssPercentile: 0.83168
ingestedAt: '2026-07-23T19:19:13.038Z'
---

## Overview

Stack-based buffer overflow in the _nc_write_entry function in tinfo/write_entry.c in ncurses 6.0 allows attackers to cause a denial of service (application crash) or possibly execute arbitrary code via a crafted terminfo file, as demonstrated by tic.

## Affected

- `ncurses = 6.0`

## Remediation

Refer to the linked advisories for vendor-supplied fixes and affected version ranges.