CVE-2020-10565Public exploit

Guest-to-host root code execution via unchecked memrw addresses

Published Mar 14, 2020 · Updated Aug 4, 2024

Memory access validation failure in grub2-bhyve before 0.40_8 allows guest OS users to execute code as root on the FreeBSD host. The grub_cmd_read and grub_cmd_write handlers cast a guest-controlled address from grub2.cfg directly to a pointer, permitting arbitrary access to the bootloader's virtual address space. A guest that controls its disk image can overwrite a preboot callback and run shellcode because the host process runs as root without a sandbox.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.41%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Memory access validation failure in grub2-bhyve before 0.40_8 allows guest OS users to execute code as root on the FreeBSD host. The grub_cmd_read and grub_cmd_write handlers cast a guest-controlled address from grub2.cfg directly to a pointer, permitting arbitrary access to the bootloader's virtual address space. A guest that controls its disk image can overwrite a preboot callback and run shellcode because the host process runs as root without a sandbox.

The record

CVE
CVE-2020-10565
Published
Mar 14, 2020
Updated
Aug 4, 2024
Vendor
Unknown vendor
Product
Unknown product
Classifications
CWE-119, T1611
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Mar 14, 2020CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 4, 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?

Affected buildAffected product and version details are unavailable.

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Affected products and versions are unavailable in this record.

Published CVSS scores

7.2NIST NVDAV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C
7.8NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

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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
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-119Improper Restriction of Operations within the Bounds of a Memory Buffer
T1611Escape to Host

Public exploit references

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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