Description
Race condition in wget 1.17 and earlier, when used in recursive or mirroring mode to download a single file, might allow remote servers to bypass intended access list restrictions by keeping an HTTP connection open.
Fixed in Linux distributions
Distributions backport fixes, so the version that fixes this vulnerability differs per release — upgrade to at least the version shown. From the distributions' security trackers and advisories.
Debian
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Debian 14 | wget | 1.18-4 | — |
| Debian 13 | wget | 1.18-4 | — |
| Debian 12 | wget | 1.18-4 | — |
| Debian 8 | wget | 1.16-1+deb8u7 | DLA-2086-1 |
Ubuntu
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ubuntu 16.04 LTS | wget | 1.17.1-1ubuntu1.3 | USN-3464-1 |
| Ubuntu 14.04 LTS | wget | 1.15-1ubuntu1.14.04.3 | USN-3464-1 |
SUSE
Security tracker ↗| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| SLES 12 SP2 | wget | 1.14-17.1 | SUSE-SU-2016:3268-1 |
| SLES 12 SP1 | wget | 1.14-17.1 | SUSE-SU-2016:3268-1 |
| SLES 11 SP4 | wget | 1.11.4-1.32.1 | SUSE-SU-2016:2358-1 |
| SLES 11 SP3 | wget +1 | 1.11.4-1.32.1 | SUSE-SU-2016:2358-1 |
| SLES 11 | wget-openssl1 | 1.11.4-1.32.1 | SUSE-SU-2016:2358-1 |
Show 7 more (older releases, extended support, other products)Fewer releases
| Release | Package | Fixed in | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| SLES for SAP 12 SP2 | wget | 1.14-17.1 | SUSE-SU-2016:3268-1 |
| SLES for SAP 12 SP1 | wget | 1.14-17.1 | SUSE-SU-2016:3268-1 |
| SLES for SAP 11 SP4 | wget | 1.11.4-1.32.1 | SUSE-SU-2016:2358-1 |
| SUSE OpenStack Cloud 5 | wget | 1.11.4-1.32.1 | SUSE-SU-2016:2358-1 |
| SUSE Manager Proxy 2.1 | wget | 1.11.4-1.32.1 | SUSE-SU-2016:2358-1 |
| SUSE Manager 2.1 | wget | 1.11.4-1.32.1 | SUSE-SU-2016:2358-1 |
| SUSE Linux Enterprise Point of Sale 11 SP3 | wget | 1.11.4-1.32.1 | SUSE-SU-2016:2358-1 |
Public exploits
Exploit or proof-of-concept code for this vulnerability is publicly available, which lowers the bar for attackers. Treat it as a reason to patch sooner.
Third-party code, not reviewed by us. Public PoCs are sometimes fake or contain malware. Read the code first and run it only in an isolated lab, against systems you are authorised to test.
Exploit-DB 1
- GNU Wget < 1.18 - Access List Bypass / Race Condition EDB-40824 · remote · Nov 24, 2016 · verified
Sources: PoC-in-GitHub, Metasploit Framework, Exploit-DB — updated daily. Only links are listed; no exploit code is hosted here.
Advisories 4
- DLA-2086-1 wget - security update Debian Security (DSA / DLA) · Mar 9, 2026
- USN-3464-1 wget vulnerabilities Ubuntu Security Notices (USN) · Feb 10, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2016:2358-1 Security update for wget SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
- SUSE-SU-2016:3268-1 Security update for wget SUSE / openSUSE Security Updates · Feb 4, 2026
References
- [oss-security] 20160827 Re: CVE Request - Gnu Wget 1.17 - Design Error Vulnerability mailing-list
- openSUSE-SU-2017:0015 vendor-advisory
- openSUSE-SU-2016:2284 vendor-advisory
- 93157 vdb-entry
- 40824 exploit
- [bug-wget] 20160814 Wget - acess list bypass / race condition PoC mailing-list
- [bug-wget] 20160824 Re: Wget - acess list bypass / race condition PoC mailing-list
- [debian-lts-announce] 20200129 [SECURITY] [DLA 2086-1] wget security update mailing-list