CVE-2020-1976

Local kernel hang or crash

Published Feb 12, 2020 · Updated Sep 17, 2024

Denial of service in Palo Alto Networks GlobalProtect App 5.0.5 and earlier allows local users to hang or crash the macOS kernel. Palo Alto Networks identifies external control of critical state data but has not published the affected code locus or operation on attacker-controlled input. Exploitation requires authenticated local access on a Mac and interrupts the operating system rather than disclosing or modifying data.

CVSS severity4.7
Medium
EPSS probability0.28%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Denial of service in Palo Alto Networks GlobalProtect App 5.0.5 and earlier allows local users to hang or crash the macOS kernel. Palo Alto Networks identifies external control of critical state data but has not published the affected code locus or operation on attacker-controlled input. Exploitation requires authenticated local access on a Mac and interrupts the operating system rather than disclosing or modifying data.

The record

CVE
CVE-2020-1976
Published
Feb 12, 2020
Updated
Sep 17, 2024
Vendor
Palo Alto Networks
Product
GlobalProtect App
Classifications
CWE-642, CWE-20, T1499.004
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Feb 12, 2020CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Sep 17, 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=5.0 <=5.0.5 changes=[{"at":"5.0.6","status":"unaffected"}]

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Palo Alto Networks · GlobalProtect Appversion=5.0 <=5.0.5 changes=[{"at":"5.0.6","status":"unaffected"}]

Published CVSS scores

4.9NIST NVDAV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:N/I:N/A:C
5.5NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
4.7Palo Alto NetworksCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/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)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-642External Control of Critical State Data
CWE-20Improper Input Validation
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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