CVE-2020-12768: Medium severity Linux Linux kernel vulnerability

Published May 9, 2020
·
Updated

DISPUTED An issue was discovered in the Linux kernel before 5.6. svmcpuuninit in arch/x86/kvm/svm.c has a memory leak, aka CID-d80b64ff297e. NOTE: third parties dispute this issue because it's a one-time leak at the boot, the size is negligible, and it can't be triggered at will.

Affected Software

6 affected componentsFixes available
Linux Linux kernel<5.6
Canonical Ubuntu Linux=18.04
Canonical Ubuntu Linux=19.10
Canonical Ubuntu Linux=20.04
Debian Debian Linux=10.0
debian/linux
5.10.223-15.10.262-16.1.176-16.1.180-16.12.94-16.12.101-17.1.8-17.1.8-2

Remediation

Recommended actions to resolve this vulnerability, in priority order.

  1. Upgrade

    Upgrade debian/linux to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Fixed in 5.10.223-1Fixed in 5.10.262-1Fixed in 6.1.176-1Fixed in 6.1.180-1Fixed in 6.12.94-1Fixed in 6.12.101-1Fixed in 7.1.8-1Fixed in 7.1.8-2
  2. Upgrade

    Upgrade to a fixed release to a version that resolves this vulnerability.

    Patch CID-d80b64ff297e

Event History

May 9, 2020
CVE Published
via MITRE·08:16 PM
Data Sourced
via MITRE·08:16 PM
Description
Disputed
09:15 PM
Data Sourced
via NVD·09:15 PM
RemedyDescriptionSeverityWeaknessAffected Software
Sep 11, 2025
Data Sourced
via Launchpad·02:36 AM
Description
Jul 4, 2026
Data Sourced
via Ubuntu·03:53 PM
RemedyDescriptionSeverityAffected Software
Aug 16, 2026
Data Sourced
via Debian·04:29 PM
DescriptionAffected Software

Frequently Asked Questions

1

What is the severity of CVE-2020-12768?

The severity of CVE-2020-12768 is generally considered low, as it involves a minor one-time memory leak during boot.

2

How do I fix CVE-2020-12768?

To fix CVE-2020-12768, update the Linux kernel to version 5.10.223-1 or higher.

3

Which Linux distributions are affected by CVE-2020-12768?

CVE-2020-12768 affects versions of the Linux kernel prior to 5.6, as well as specific releases of Ubuntu and Debian.

4

Can CVE-2020-12768 be exploited remotely?

No, CVE-2020-12768 cannot be exploited remotely as the memory leak occurs only at boot time.

5

Is CVE-2020-12768 a serious threat to my system?

CVE-2020-12768 is not considered a serious threat since it represents a minor leak that does not impact runtime performance.

Contact

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