CVE-2020-12967Public exploitNetwork attack vector

Guest code execution via nested-page-table remapping

Published May 13, 2021 · Updated Sep 16, 2024

Code injection in AMD SEV and SEV-ES before SEV-SNP allows remote authenticated users to execute arbitrary code inside a guest VM. Unprotected second-level address tables let a compromised hypervisor remap an NMI-handler guest frame to a network-injected payload and trigger it with a virtual NMI. Hypervisor administrator control and access to the guest kernel image or equivalent fingerprinting are required; the payload executes within the targeted guest.

CVSS severity7.2
High
EPSS probability1.68%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Code injection in AMD SEV and SEV-ES before SEV-SNP allows remote authenticated users to execute arbitrary code inside a guest VM. Unprotected second-level address tables let a compromised hypervisor remap an NMI-handler guest frame to a network-injected payload and trigger it with a virtual NMI. Hypervisor administrator control and access to the guest kernel image or equivalent fingerprinting are required; the payload executes within the targeted guest.

The record

CVE
CVE-2020-12967
Published
May 13, 2021
Updated
Sep 16, 2024
Vendor
AMD
Product
AMD Secure Encrypted Virtualization (SEV)
Classifications
CWE-77, T1055
Attack vector
network
Privileges
admin

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. May 13, 2021CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Sep 16, 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=unspecified <SEV-SNP

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesadmin

What is affected?

AMD · AMD Secure Encrypted Virtualization (SEV)version=unspecified <SEV-SNP

Published CVSS scores

9.0NIST National Vulnerability DatabaseAV:N/AC:L/Au:S/C:C/I:C/A:C
7.2NIST National Vulnerability DatabaseCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/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.

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
Privilegesadmin
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-77Improper Neutralization of Special Elements used in a Command ('Command Injection')
T1055Process Injection

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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