CVE-2020-8992

Name: CVE-2020-8992
Creator: NVD / NIST
Published: 2020-02-14T05:15:13.667+00:00
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/

MEDIUMCVSS 5.5/10EPSS 0.42%

Last modified Jun 17, 2026

CVE-2020-8992 is a medium-severity vulnerability rated 5.5/10 on the CVSS scale. 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.. EPSS estimates a 0.42% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days.

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.

Metrics

CVSS 3.1

5.5/10

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

EPSS Probability

0.42%

33.3th percentile

Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days. Learn more

Weakness Enumeration

Affected Software

Vendor	Product	Versions
Linux	Linux Kernel	<= 5.5.3
Canonical	Ubuntu Linux	14.04
Canonical	Ubuntu Linux	16.04
Canonical	Ubuntu Linux	18.04
Canonical	Ubuntu Linux	19.10
Opensuse	Leap	15.1
Netapp	Active Iq Unified Manager	All versions
Netapp	Cloud Backup	All versions
Netapp	Data Availability Services	All versions
Netapp	Hci Management Node	All versions
Netapp	Solidfire	All versions
Netapp	Steelstore Cloud Integrated Storage	All versions
Netapp	H410c Firmware	All versions

References

http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2020-03/msg00021.htmlMailing List, Third Party Advisory
https://patchwork.ozlabs.org/patch/1236118/Patch, Third Party Advisory
https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20200313-0003/Third Party Advisory
https://usn.ubuntu.com/4318-1/Third Party Advisory
https://usn.ubuntu.com/4324-1/Third Party Advisory
https://usn.ubuntu.com/4342-1/Third Party Advisory
https://usn.ubuntu.com/4344-1/Third Party Advisory
https://usn.ubuntu.com/4419-1/Third Party Advisory
http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2020-03/msg00021.htmlMailing List, Third Party Advisory
https://patchwork.ozlabs.org/patch/1236118/Patch, Third Party Advisory
https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20200313-0003/Third Party Advisory
https://usn.ubuntu.com/4318-1/Third Party Advisory
https://usn.ubuntu.com/4324-1/Third Party Advisory
https://usn.ubuntu.com/4342-1/Third Party Advisory
https://usn.ubuntu.com/4344-1/Third Party Advisory
https://usn.ubuntu.com/4419-1/Third Party Advisory

Timeline

Published: Feb 14, 2020
Last Modified: Jun 17, 2026
Status: Modified

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2020-8992?

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.

How severe is CVE-2020-8992?

CVE-2020-8992 has a CVSS score of 5.5/10 (MEDIUM severity). The EPSS model estimates a 0.42% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

How do I fix CVE-2020-8992?

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-2020-8992?

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

Scan your code now

Source: NVD / NIST