CVE-2020-12464

System crash via USB transfer cancellation race

Published Apr 29, 2020 · Updated Aug 4, 2024

A use-after-free in the Linux kernel before 5.6.8 allows physically proximate attackers to crash the system through USB activity. usb_sg_cancel can keep accessing a transfer's URBs after usb_sg_wait frees them when cancellation races with completion because no transfer reference is held. Physical USB access is required to reach the race; successful triggering can crash the system, while arbitrary code execution remains unverified.

CVSS severity6.7
Medium
EPSS probability0.80%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

A use-after-free in the Linux kernel before 5.6.8 allows physically proximate attackers to crash the system through USB activity. usb_sg_cancel can keep accessing a transfer's URBs after usb_sg_wait frees them when cancellation races with completion because no transfer reference is held. Physical USB access is required to reach the race; successful triggering can crash the system, while arbitrary code execution remains unverified.

The record

CVE
CVE-2020-12464
Published
Apr 29, 2020
Updated
Aug 4, 2024
Vendor
Unknown vendor
Product
Unknown product
Classifications
CWE-416, T1499
Attack vector
physical
Privileges
Unavailable

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Apr 29, 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 vectorphysical
Required privilegesUnavailable in this record.

What is affected?

Affected products and versions are unavailable in this record.

Published CVSS scores

6.7NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
7.2NVDAV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C

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)
Vectorphysical
PrivilegesUnavailable
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-416Use After Free
T1499Endpoint Denial of Service

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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