CVE-2020-10072

Cross-thread socket descriptor access via missing permission checks

Published May 24, 2021 · Updated Sep 17, 2024

Improper permissions in Zephyr RTOS v1.14.2 and v2.2.0 allow local users to read or write socket descriptors via crafted system calls. Zephyr's socket API stores descriptors without kernel-object permission tracking, so any thread that knows a descriptor number can bypass ownership checks and access the underlying socket. The flaw requires code execution as a local thread on the device and can expose or alter socket traffic and disrupt communications; it does not provide remote entry by itself.

CVSS severity5.9
Medium
EPSS probability0.20%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Improper permissions in Zephyr RTOS v1.14.2 and v2.2.0 allow local users to read or write socket descriptors via crafted system calls. Zephyr's socket API stores descriptors without kernel-object permission tracking, so any thread that knows a descriptor number can bypass ownership checks and access the underlying socket. The flaw requires code execution as a local thread on the device and can expose or alter socket traffic and disrupt communications; it does not provide remote entry by itself.

The record

CVE
CVE-2020-10072
Published
May 24, 2021
Updated
Sep 17, 2024
Vendor
Zephyr Project
Product
Zephyr RTOS
Classifications
CWE-280
Attack vector
local
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. May 24, 2021CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Sep 17, 2024Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

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  1. Affected versionversion=v1.14.2 <unspecified
  2. Affected versionversion=v2.2.0 <unspecified

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Zephyr Project · Zephyr RTOSversion=v1.14.2 <unspecified; version=v2.2.0 <unspecified

Published CVSS scores

5.3NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L
5.9Zephyr ProjectCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L
4.6NVDAV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

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No observations available

Sep 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-280Improper Handling of Insufficient Permissions or Privileges

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

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Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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