CVE-2020-10751

Local SELinux permission bypass via partial netlink validation

Published May 26, 2020 · Updated Aug 4, 2024

Authorization bypass in the Linux Foundation Linux Kernel before 5.7 allows local users to gain SELinux permissions via multi-message netlink buffers. The selinux_netlink_send hook validates only the first netlink message in an skb, then applies that decision to every remaining message without further checks. Low-privilege local access is required, and Red Hat reports no known abuse because modify operations require additional capabilities.

CVSS severity6.1
Medium
EPSS probability0.35%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Authorization bypass in the Linux Foundation Linux Kernel before 5.7 allows local users to gain SELinux permissions via multi-message netlink buffers. The selinux_netlink_send hook validates only the first netlink message in an skb, then applies that decision to every remaining message without further checks. Low-privilege local access is required, and Red Hat reports no known abuse because modify operations require additional capabilities.

The record

CVE
CVE-2020-10751
Published
May 26, 2020
Updated
Aug 4, 2024
Vendor
The Linux Foundation
Product
Linux Kernel
Classifications
CWE-349, CWE-345
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. May 26, 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=before 5.7

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Foundation · Linux Kernelversion=before 5.7

Published CVSS scores

3.6NIST NVDAV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:N
6.1Red Hat, Inc.CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:L/A:N

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 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 exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-349Acceptance of Extraneous Untrusted Data With Trusted Data
CWE-345Insufficient Verification of Data Authenticity

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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