CVE-2020-10725Network attack vector

Guest-triggered backend crash via unchecked descriptor address

Published May 20, 2020 · Updated Aug 4, 2024

Improper descriptor validation in DPDK allows guest OS users to crash a host vhost-user backend with a crafted Virtio descriptor. The virtio_dev_rx_batch_packed() function dereferences a packed-ring descriptor address without first confirming that it maps to valid guest memory. A malicious guest with access to the vhost-user data path can terminate the backend and interrupt connectivity for other guests on the same host.

CVSS severity7.7
High
EPSS probability2.21%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Improper descriptor validation in DPDK allows guest OS users to crash a host vhost-user backend with a crafted Virtio descriptor. The virtio_dev_rx_batch_packed() function dereferences a packed-ring descriptor address without first confirming that it maps to valid guest memory. A malicious guest with access to the vhost-user data path can terminate the backend and interrupt connectivity for other guests on the same host.

The record

CVE
CVE-2020-10725
Published
May 20, 2020
Updated
Aug 4, 2024
Vendor
DPDK Project
Product
DPDK
Classifications
CWE-665, T1499.004
Attack vector
network
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. May 20, 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?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=19.11.2
  2. Affected versionversion=20.02.1

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

DPDK Project · DPDKversion=19.11.2; version=20.02.1

Published CVSS scores

7.7Red Hat, Inc.CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:N/A:H
4.0NVDAV:N/AC:L/Au:S/C:N/I:N/A:P

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.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-665Improper Initialization
T1499.004Application or System Exploitation

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

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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