Incorrect permission assignment in Linux kernel
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Local
- Privileges required
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- —
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- None · None · High
- Fix status
- Partial Red Hat: 5 without a fix
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · CNA. Fix status from CNA and Red Hat.
Summary
A flaw was found in the Linux Kernel before 5.8-rc6 in the ZRAM kernel module, where a user with a local account and the ability to read the /sys/class/zram-control/hot_add file can create ZRAM device nodes in the /dev/ directory. This read allocates kernel memory and is not accounted for a user that triggers the creation of that ZRAM device. With this vulnerability, continually reading the device may consume a large amount of system memory and cause the Out-of-Memory (OOM) killer to activate and terminate random userspace processes, possibly making the system inoperable.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3
- Exploitation
- None
- Automatable
- No
- Technical impact
- Partial
The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Linux | kernel | before 5.8-rc6 | 5.8-rc6 | Patch available | CNA |
- kernel VendorLinux Affected before 5.8-rc6 Fixed in 5.8-rc6 Patch available CNA
CPE configurations NVD · 8
| CPE | Versions | Role | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | before 5.8.0 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:5.8.0:-:*:*:*:*:*:* | 5.8.0 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:5.8.0:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:* | 5.8.0 rc1 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:5.8.0:rc2:*:*:*:*:*:* | 5.8.0 rc2 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:5.8.0:rc3:*:*:*:*:*:* | 5.8.0 rc3 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:5.8.0:rc4:*:*:*:*:*:* | 5.8.0 rc4 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:5.8.0:rc5:*:*:*:*:*:* | 5.8.0 rc5 | Vulnerable | Linux |
| cpe:2.3:o:debian:debian_linux:9.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 9.0 | Vulnerable | Debian |
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions before 5.8.0 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:5.8.0:-:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 5.8.0 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:5.8.0:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 5.8.0 rc1 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:5.8.0:rc2:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 5.8.0 rc2 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:5.8.0:rc3:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 5.8.0 rc3 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:5.8.0:rc4:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 5.8.0 rc4 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:5.8.0:rc5:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 5.8.0 rc5 Vulnerable ·Linux
- cpe:2.3:o:debian:debian_linux:9.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 9.0 Vulnerable ·Debian
Remediation
- Fix · CNA kernel (Linux Kernel) Fixed in 5.8-rc6
Vendor assessments
Red Hat
Red Hat rating: Low. Red Hat's page for this CVE →
| Product | Status | Plan or fix |
|---|---|---|
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5 | Affected | No fix planned: Out of support scope |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 | Affected | No fix planned: Out of support scope |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 | Affected | No fix yet: Fix deferred |
| Red Hat Enterprise MRG 2 | Affected | No fix planned: Out of support scope |
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2020-10781
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-93vf-4x6g-q64v
- 2026-10-08 CISA SSVC decision points changed
References
Patch 2
More Linux Kernel vulnerabilities
- TI-2025-26358 tls: fix handling of zero-length records on the rx_list KEVCVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
- TI-2026-38352 netfilter: bridge: make ebt_snat ARP rewrite writable KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.8
- TI-2013-05264 The (1) get_user and (2) put_user API functions in the Linux kernel before 3.5.5 on the… KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.8
- TI-2022-00125 Integer overflow in kernel KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.4
- TI-2013-01864 The perf_swevent_init function in kernel/events/core.c in the Linux kernel before 3.8.9… KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.4
- TI-2021-05514 Heap Out-Of-Bounds Write in Netfilter IP6T_SO_SET_REPLACE KEVCVSS 3.1HIGH 8.3
Sources
- CVE-2020-10781 · CVE Program
- CVE-2020-10781 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-93vf-4x6g-q64v · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2020-10781 · Red Hat security data · CC BY 4.0
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