kernel: use-after-free in cdev_put() when a PTP device is removed while it's chardev is open
Published May 8, 2020
6.5
MEDIUMCVSS 3.1
EPSS 0.36%
Description
There is a use-after-free in kernel versions before 5.5 due to a race condition between the release of ptp_clock and cdev while resource deallocation. When a (high privileged) process allocates a ptp device file (like /dev/ptpX) and voluntarily goes to sleep. During this time if the underlying device is removed, it can cause an exploitable condition as the process wakes up to terminate and clean all attached files. The system crashes due to the cdev structure being invalid (as already freed) which is pointed to by the inode.
Affected products
-
- Version all kernel versions before 5.5StatusaffectedConstraints-
- Version
Configuration 1
- < 5.5
Configuration 2
- 7.0
- 8.0
Configuration 3
- 8.0
Configuration 4
- 14.04
- 16.04
Configuration 6
- n/a
- n/a
- n/a
- n/a
- n/a
- n/a
Configuration 7
- n/a
Configuration 8
- n/a
Configuration 9
- n/a
Configuration 10
- n/a
Configuration 11
- n/a
Configuration 12
- n/a
Configuration 13
- n/a
Configuration 14
- n/a
Configuration 15
- n/a
Configuration 16
- n/a
Configuration 17
- n/a
No data.
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7
kernel-0:3.10.0-1160.el7
Fixed · RHSA-2020:4060
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7
kernel-rt-0:3.10.0-1160.rt56.1131.el7
Fixed · RHSA-2020:4062
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8
kernel-0:4.18.0-193.el8
Fixed · RHSA-2020:1769
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8
kernel-rt-0:4.18.0-193.rt13.51.el8
Fixed · RHSA-2020:1567
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5
kernel
Not affected
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6
kernel
Out of support scope
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7
kernel-alt
Fix deferred
Red Hat Enterprise MRG 2
kernel-rt
Out of support scope
| Product | Package | State | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 | kernel-0:3.10.0-1160.el7 | Fixed | RHSA-2020:4060 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 | kernel-rt-0:3.10.0-1160.rt56.1131.el7 | Fixed | RHSA-2020:4062 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 | kernel-0:4.18.0-193.el8 | Fixed | RHSA-2020:1769 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 | kernel-rt-0:4.18.0-193.rt13.51.el8 | Fixed | RHSA-2020:1567 |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5 | kernel | Not affected | n/a |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 | kernel | Out of support scope | n/a |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 | kernel-alt | Fix deferred | n/a |
| Red Hat Enterprise MRG 2 | kernel-rt | Out of support scope | n/a |
No package ranges for this CVE.
Remediation
Red Hat statement
This issue is rated as having Low impact as there is a need for high privilege access to trigger this problem. This will need an access to /dev/ptpX which is privileged operation, also removing the module is needed (again, privileged operation).
Red Hat mitigation
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.
Metrics
No CVSS v4.0 score for this CVE.
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
1 other source (Red Hat) ▾
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
No CVSS v3.0 score for this CVE.
AV:L/AC:M/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P
This CVE is not in the KEV list.
No CISA SSVC assessment for this CVE yet.
Estimated probability of exploitation in the wild in the next 30 days (FIRST EPSS). As of Oct 4, 2026.
Score over time
2021-2026- EPSS v1
- EPSS v2
- EPSS v3
- EPSS v4
- EPSS v5
Percentile over time
- EPSS v1
- EPSS v2
- EPSS v3
- EPSS v4
- EPSS v5
Table of values (14 key points)
Flat stretches are collapsed. Showing up to 120 newest points.
| Date | Score | Percentile | Model |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 4, 2026 | 0.36% (0.00359) | 27.33th | v5 (v2026.06.15) |
| Jun 15, 2026 | 0.36% (0.00359) | 27.49th | v5 (v2026.06.15) |
| Mar 17, 2025 | 0.02% (0.00023) | 3.63th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Dec 12, 2024 | 0.04% (0.00045) | 16.02th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| Jun 10, 2024 | 0.04% (0.00045) | 14.07th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| Mar 7, 2023 | 0.04% (0.00045) | 12.06th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| Mar 6, 2023 | 1.03% (0.01034) | 41.69th | v2 (v2022.01.01) |
| Sep 10, 2022 | 1.03% (0.01034) | 39.91th | v2 (v2022.01.01) |
| Apr 1, 2022 | 1.03% (0.01034) | 37.91th | v2 (v2022.01.01) |
| Feb 4, 2022 | 2.01% (0.02008) | 56.41th | v2 (v2022.01.01) |
| Feb 3, 2022 | 6.21% (0.06208) | 81.93th | v1 |
| Jan 6, 2022 | 6.21% (0.06208) | 81.75th | v1 |
| Sep 1, 2021 | 1.45% (0.01454) | 71.88th | v1 |
| Apr 14, 2021 | 1.45% (0.01454) | 0.00th | v1 |
References (10)
- http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2020-06/msg00022.html vendor-advisoryx_refsource_SUSEMailing ListThird Party Advisory
- https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2020-10690 Vendor Advisory
- https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1817141 Issue Tracking
- https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=CVE-2020-10690 x_refsource_CONFIRMIssue TrackingPatchThird Party Advisory
- https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2020/06/msg00011.html mailing-listx_refsource_MLISTMailing ListThird Party Advisory
- https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2020/06/msg00013.html mailing-listx_refsource_MLISTMailing ListThird Party Advisory
- https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-10690
- https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20200608-0001/ x_refsource_CONFIRMThird Party Advisory
- https://usn.ubuntu.com/4419-1/ vendor-advisoryx_refsource_UBUNTUThird Party Advisory
- https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2020-10690
| Link | Providers | Tags |
|---|---|---|
| http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2020-06/msg00022.html | vendor-advisoryx_refsource_SUSEMailing ListThird Party Advisory | |
| https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2020-10690 | Vendor Advisory | |
| https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1817141 | Issue Tracking | |
| https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=CVE-2020-10690 | x_refsource_CONFIRMIssue TrackingPatchThird Party Advisory | |
| https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2020/06/msg00011.html | mailing-listx_refsource_MLISTMailing ListThird Party Advisory | |
| https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2020/06/msg00013.html | mailing-listx_refsource_MLISTMailing ListThird Party Advisory | |
| https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-10690 | ||
| https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20200608-0001/ | x_refsource_CONFIRMThird Party Advisory | |
| https://usn.ubuntu.com/4419-1/ | vendor-advisoryx_refsource_UBUNTUThird Party Advisory | |
| https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2020-10690 |
Change history (0)
No recorded changes yet.