CVE-2020-15393

Memory-exhaustion denial of service via leaked USB buffer

Published Jun 29, 2020 · Updated Aug 4, 2024

Memory leak in the Linux kernel USB testing driver 4.4 through 5.7.6 allows physically proximate attackers to exhaust system memory. usbtest_disconnect frees its device structure without releasing the dev->buf allocation created by usbtest_probe, so each disconnect strands kernel memory. The USB testing driver must be enabled and a USB test device repeatedly connected and disconnected; sustained exhaustion can hang or crash the host.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.43%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Memory leak in the Linux kernel USB testing driver 4.4 through 5.7.6 allows physically proximate attackers to exhaust system memory. usbtest_disconnect frees its device structure without releasing the dev->buf allocation created by usbtest_probe, so each disconnect strands kernel memory. The USB testing driver must be enabled and a USB test device repeatedly connected and disconnected; sustained exhaustion can hang or crash the host.

The record

CVE
CVE-2020-15393
Published
Jun 29, 2020
Updated
Aug 4, 2024
Vendor
Unknown vendor
Product
Unknown product
Classifications
CWE-401, T1499
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jun 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 vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Affected products and versions are unavailable in this record.

Published CVSS scores

5.5NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
2.1NIST NVDAV:L/AC:L/Au:N/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.

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No observations available

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

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-401Missing Release of Memory after Effective Lifetime
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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