CVE-2020-9973

Name: CVE-2020-9973
Creator: NVD / NIST
Published: 2020-10-27T21:15:15.9+00:00
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/

HIGHCVSS 7.8/10EPSS 1.86%

Last modified Jun 17, 2026

CVE-2020-9973 is a high-severity vulnerability rated 7.8/10 on the CVSS scale. An out-of-bounds read was addressed with improved bounds checking. This issue is fixed in macOS Catalina 10.15.7, Security Update 2020-005 High Sierra, Security Update 2020-005 Mojave, iOS 14.0 and iPadOS 14.0. EPSS estimates a 1.86% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days.

Description

An out-of-bounds read was addressed with improved bounds checking. This issue is fixed in macOS Catalina 10.15.7, Security Update 2020-005 High Sierra, Security Update 2020-005 Mojave, iOS 14.0 and iPadOS 14.0. Processing a maliciously crafted USD file may lead to unexpected application termination or arbitrary code execution.

Metrics

CVSS 3.1

7.8/10

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

EPSS Probability

1.86%

76.6th percentile

Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days. Learn more

Weakness Enumeration

CWE-125

Affected Software

Vendor	Product	Versions
Apple	Ipados	< 14.0
Apple	Iphone Os	< 14.0
Apple	Mac Os X	>= 10.13, < 10.13.6
Apple	Mac Os X	>= 10.14, < 10.14.6
Apple	Mac Os X	>= 10.15, < 10.15.7
Apple	Mac Os X	10.13.6
Apple	Mac Os X	10.14.6

References

http://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2020/Nov/20Mailing List, Third Party Advisory
http://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2020/Nov/21Mailing List, Third Party Advisory
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT211849Release Notes, Vendor Advisory
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT211850Release Notes, Vendor Advisory
https://www.talosintelligence.com/vulnerability_reports/TALOS-2020-1104Third Party Advisory
http://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2020/Nov/20Mailing List, Third Party Advisory
http://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2020/Nov/21Mailing List, Third Party Advisory
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT211849Release Notes, Vendor Advisory
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT211850Release Notes, Vendor Advisory
https://www.talosintelligence.com/vulnerability_reports/TALOS-2020-1104Third Party Advisory

Timeline

Published: Oct 27, 2020
Last Modified: Jun 17, 2026
Status: Modified

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2020-9973?

How severe is CVE-2020-9973?

CVE-2020-9973 has a CVSS score of 7.8/10 (HIGH severity). The EPSS model estimates a 1.86% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

How do I fix CVE-2020-9973?

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-2020-9973?

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

Scan your code now

Source: NVD / NIST