medium
5.1
CWE
200
Advisory Published
CVE Published
Advisory Published
CVE Published
Updated

CVE-2020-4788: Infoleak

First published: Wed Oct 14 2020(Updated: )

A flaw was found in the Linux kernel. IBM Power9 processors can speculatively operate on data stored in the L1 cache before it has been completely validated. The attack has limited access to memory and is only able to access memory normally permissible to the execution context. The highest threat from this vulnerability is to data confidentiality.

Credit: psirt@us.ibm.com

Affected SoftwareAffected VersionHow to fix
redhat/kernel<0:4.18.0-372.9.1.el8
0:4.18.0-372.9.1.el8
debian/linux
5.10.223-1
5.10.226-1
6.1.123-1
6.1.128-1
6.12.12-1
6.12.13-1
IBM AIX<=7.1
IBM AIX<=7.2
IBM Virtual I/O Server (VIOS)<=3.1
IBM i<=7.1
IBM i<=7.2
IBM i<=7.3
IBM i<=7.4
IBM AIX<=7.1
IBM AIX<=7.2
IBM Virtual I/O Server (VIOS)<=3.1
IBM Virtual I/O Server (VIOS)=3.1.0
IBM Virtual I/O Server (VIOS)=3.1.1
IBM Virtual I/O Server (VIOS)=3.1.2
IBM AIX=7.1.0
IBM AIX=7.1.5
IBM AIX=7.2.0
IBM AIX=7.2.3
IBM AIX=7.2.4
IBM AIX=7.2.5
IBM PowerPC Power9
Fedora=32
Fedora=33
oracle communications Cloud native core binding support function=22.1.3
oracle communications cloud native core network exposure function=22.1.1
oracle communications Cloud native core policy=22.2.0
All of
Any of
IBM Virtual I/O Server (VIOS)=3.1.0
IBM Virtual I/O Server (VIOS)=3.1.1
IBM Virtual I/O Server (VIOS)=3.1.2
IBM AIX=7.1.0
IBM AIX=7.1.5
IBM AIX=7.2.0
IBM AIX=7.2.3
IBM AIX=7.2.4
IBM AIX=7.2.5
IBM PowerPC Power9

Remedy

Mitigation for this issue is either not available or the currently available options don't meet the Red Hat Product Security criteria comprising ease of use and deployment, applicability to widespread installation base or stability.

Remedy

http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2020/11/20/3

Remedy

https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/node/6370729

Remedy

https://www.oracle.com/security-alerts/cpujul2022.html

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Reference Links

Parent vulnerabilities

(Appears in the following advisories)

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the severity of CVE-2020-4788?

    CVE-2020-4788 has a high severity rating due to its potential to allow data access through speculative execution vulnerabilities.

  • How do I fix CVE-2020-4788?

    To fix CVE-2020-4788, apply the appropriate patches or updates provided by your operating system vendor.

  • Which systems are affected by CVE-2020-4788?

    CVE-2020-4788 affects Linux kernel versions up to 0:4.18.0-372.9.1.el8 and certain versions of IBM AIX and VIOS.

  • Can CVE-2020-4788 be exploited remotely?

    CVE-2020-4788 requires local access to the affected system for exploitation, limiting its remote attack surface.

  • Is there a workaround for CVE-2020-4788?

    While a specific workaround for CVE-2020-4788 is not detailed, it is recommended to apply vendor patches and monitor security bulletins for updates.

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