Home/CVE/gss_mech_free in net/sunrpc/auth_gss/gss_mech_switch.c in the rpcsec_gss_krb5 implementation in the Linux kernel through
CVE

CVE-2020-12656

gss_mech_free in net/sunrpc/auth_gss/gss_mech_switch.c in the rpcsec_gss_krb5 implementation in the Linux kernel through

gss_mech_free in net/sunrpc/auth_gss/gss_mech_switch.c in the rpcsec_gss_krb5 implementation in the Linux kernel through 5.6.10 lacks certain domain_release calls, leading to a memory leak. Note: This was disputed with the assertion that the issue does not grant any access not already available. It is a problem that on unloading a specific kernel module some memory is leaked, but loading kernel modules is a privileged operation.

A user could also write a kernel module to consume any amount of memory they like and load that replicating the effect of this bug.

MEDIUM · CVSS 5.5 EPSS 0.00108
Monitor
  • No active-exploitation, high-EPSS, or public-exploit signals - routine patching cadence
Sigma rules0 YARA rules0

Weakness Classification

Affected Products & Versions

3
linux kernel<= 5.6.10
opensuse leapall versions

Scoring & Timeline

5.5
MEDIUM · CVSS v3.1 · cve@mitre.org
View on NVD
Attack Vector
Network Adjacent Local Physical
Attack Complexity
Low High
Privileges Required
None Low High
User Interaction
None Required
Scope
Unchanged Changed
Confidentiality
None Low High
Integrity
None Low High
Availability
None Low High
Published to NVD05 May 2020 · 06:15 AM
CVSS VectorCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
SSVC triage · cisa-vulnrichment
Exploitation
none
Automatable
no
Technical impact
partial
SSVC asks the questions that actually drive patch urgency: is it being exploited, can attacks be automated, and how total is the impact.

Vendor Advisories

21
suse-csafopenSUSE-SU-2021:0242-1
suse-csafSUSE-SU-2020:2487-1
suse-csafSUSE-SU-2020:2478-1
🔗

References & Sources

5
Source URLs (vendor pages, mailing lists, write-ups). Exploit/PoC links are in their own section above to avoid duplication.
https://usn.ubuntu.com/4483-1/Third Party Advisory
https://usn.ubuntu.com/4485-1/Third Party Advisory
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