kernel: soft lockup via a crafted journal size in ext4_protect_reserved_inode in fs/ext4/block_validity.c
Published Feb 14, 2020
5.5
MEDIUMCVSS 3.1
EPSS 0.42%
Description
ext4_protect_reserved_inode in fs/ext4/block_validity.c in the Linux kernel through 5.5.3 allows attackers to cause a denial of service (soft lockup) via a crafted journal size.
Affected products
No data.
Configuration 1
- ≤ 5.5.3
Configuration 2
- 14.04
- 16.04
- 18.04
- 19.10
Configuration 4
- n/a
- n/a
- n/a
- n/a
- n/a
- n/a
Configuration 5
- n/a
No data.
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5
kernel
Not affected
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6
kernel
Not affected
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7
kernel
Not affected
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7
kernel-alt
Not affected
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7
kernel-rt
Not affected
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8
kernel
Not affected
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8
kernel-rt
Not affected
Red Hat Enterprise MRG 2
kernel-rt
Not affected
| Product | Package | State | Advisory |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5 | kernel | Not affected | n/a |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 | kernel | Not affected | n/a |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 | kernel | Not affected | n/a |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 | kernel-alt | Not affected | n/a |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 | kernel-rt | Not affected | n/a |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 | kernel | Not affected | n/a |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 | kernel-rt | Not affected | n/a |
| Red Hat Enterprise MRG 2 | kernel-rt | Not affected | n/a |
No package ranges for this CVE.
Remediation
Red Hat statement
The affected code was not introduced into any kernel versions shipped with Red Hat Enterprise Linux making this vulnerable not applicable to these platforms.
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:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
No CVSS v3.0 score for this CVE.
AV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:N/I:N/A:C
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 1, 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 1, 2026 | 0.42% (0.00416) | 33.58th | v5 (v2026.06.15) |
| Jun 15, 2026 | 0.42% (0.00416) | 33.03th | v5 (v2026.06.15) |
| Mar 17, 2025 | 0.08% (0.00083) | 21.91th | 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 | 1.10% (0.01104) | 54.09th | v2 (v2022.01.01) |
| Sep 17, 2022 | 1.10% (0.01104) | 52.45th | v2 (v2022.01.01) |
| Apr 1, 2022 | 1.10% (0.01104) | 50.41th | v2 (v2022.01.01) |
| Feb 4, 2022 | 4.41% (0.04411) | 70.76th | v2 (v2022.01.01) |
| Feb 3, 2022 | 9.61% (0.09608) | 87.22th | v1 |
| Jan 6, 2022 | 9.61% (0.09608) | 87.07th | v1 |
| Sep 1, 2021 | 2.31% (0.02314) | 78.25th | v1 |
| Apr 14, 2021 | 2.31% (0.02314) | 0.00th | v1 |
References (12)
- http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2020-03/msg00021.html vendor-advisoryx_refsource_SUSEMailing ListThird Party Advisory
- https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2020-8992 Vendor Advisory
- https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1805887 Issue Tracking
- https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-8992
- https://patchwork.ozlabs.org/patch/1236118/ x_refsource_MISCPatchThird Party Advisory
- https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20200313-0003/ x_refsource_CONFIRMThird Party Advisory
- https://usn.ubuntu.com/4318-1/ vendor-advisoryx_refsource_UBUNTUThird Party Advisory
- https://usn.ubuntu.com/4324-1/ vendor-advisoryx_refsource_UBUNTUThird Party Advisory
- https://usn.ubuntu.com/4342-1/ vendor-advisoryx_refsource_UBUNTUThird Party Advisory
- https://usn.ubuntu.com/4344-1/ vendor-advisoryx_refsource_UBUNTUThird Party Advisory
- https://usn.ubuntu.com/4419-1/ vendor-advisoryx_refsource_UBUNTUThird Party Advisory
- https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2020-8992
| Link | Providers | Tags |
|---|---|---|
| http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2020-03/msg00021.html | vendor-advisoryx_refsource_SUSEMailing ListThird Party Advisory | |
| https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2020-8992 | Vendor Advisory | |
| https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1805887 | Issue Tracking | |
| https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-8992 | ||
| https://patchwork.ozlabs.org/patch/1236118/ | x_refsource_MISCPatchThird Party Advisory | |
| https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20200313-0003/ | x_refsource_CONFIRMThird Party Advisory | |
| https://usn.ubuntu.com/4318-1/ | vendor-advisoryx_refsource_UBUNTUThird Party Advisory | |
| https://usn.ubuntu.com/4324-1/ | vendor-advisoryx_refsource_UBUNTUThird Party Advisory | |
| https://usn.ubuntu.com/4342-1/ | vendor-advisoryx_refsource_UBUNTUThird Party Advisory | |
| https://usn.ubuntu.com/4344-1/ | vendor-advisoryx_refsource_UBUNTUThird Party Advisory | |
| https://usn.ubuntu.com/4419-1/ | vendor-advisoryx_refsource_UBUNTUThird Party Advisory | |
| https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2020-8992 |
Change history (0)
No recorded changes yet.