CVE-2020-29534

Name: CVE-2020-29534
Creator: NVD / NIST
Published: 2020-12-03T20:15:11.947+00:00
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/

HIGHCVSS 7.8/10EPSS 0.45%

Last modified Jun 17, 2026

CVE-2020-29534 is a high-severity vulnerability rated 7.8/10 on the CVSS scale. An issue was discovered in the Linux kernel before 5.9.3. io_uring takes a non-refcounted reference to the files_struct of the process that submitted a request, causing execve() to incorrectly optimize unshare_fd(), aka CID-0f2122045b94.. EPSS estimates a 0.45% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days.

Description

An issue was discovered in the Linux kernel before 5.9.3. io_uring takes a non-refcounted reference to the files_struct of the process that submitted a request, causing execve() to incorrectly optimize unshare_fd(), aka CID-0f2122045b94.

Metrics

CVSS 3.1

7.8/10

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

EPSS Probability

0.45%

36.1th percentile

Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days. Learn more

Affected Software

Vendor	Product	Versions	Update
Linux	Linux Kernel	>= 5.1, < 5.8.18	—
Linux	Linux Kernel	>= 5.9.0, < 5.9.3	—
Linux	Linux Kernel	5.10	Rc1

References

https://bugs.chromium.org/p/project-zero/issues/detail?id=2089Exploit, Issue Tracking, Patch, Third Party Advisory
https://cdn.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/v5.x/ChangeLog-5.9.3Patch, Vendor Advisory
https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux.git/commit/?id=0f2122045b946241a9e549c2a76cea54fa58a7ffPatch, Vendor Advisory
https://bugs.chromium.org/p/project-zero/issues/detail?id=2089Exploit, Issue Tracking, Patch, Third Party Advisory
https://cdn.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/v5.x/ChangeLog-5.9.3Patch, Vendor Advisory
https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/torvalds/linux.git/commit/?id=0f2122045b946241a9e549c2a76cea54fa58a7ffPatch, Vendor Advisory

Timeline

Published: Dec 3, 2020
Last Modified: Jun 17, 2026
Status: Modified

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2020-29534?

How severe is CVE-2020-29534?

CVE-2020-29534 has a CVSS score of 7.8/10 (HIGH severity). The EPSS model estimates a 0.45% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

How do I fix CVE-2020-29534?

Check the vendor references and advisories linked above for patched versions and mitigation guidance. You can also run a Strix scan to test if your systems are affected.

Are you affected by CVE-2020-29534?

Run a free Strix scan to check your systems for this vulnerability.

Scan your code now

Source: NVD / NIST