CVE-2020-24485

Authenticated local privilege escalation

Published Feb 17, 2021 · Updated Aug 4, 2024

Improper condition checking in Intel FPGA OPAE Driver for Linux before kernel 4.17 allows local users to escalate privileges. Intel and Altera identify the defect only as an improper conditions check and do not publish the affected driver routine or the incorrect operation. Exploitation requires authenticated local access to a system using an affected OPAE driver and can grant higher privileges on that host.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.29%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Improper condition checking in Intel FPGA OPAE Driver for Linux before kernel 4.17 allows local users to escalate privileges. Intel and Altera identify the defect only as an improper conditions check and do not publish the affected driver routine or the incorrect operation. Exploitation requires authenticated local access to a system using an affected OPAE driver and can grant higher privileges on that host.

The record

CVE
CVE-2020-24485
Published
Feb 17, 2021
Updated
Aug 4, 2024
Vendor
Intel Corporation
Product
Intel FPGA OPAE Driver for Linux
Classifications
CWE-427, T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Feb 17, 2021CVE 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?

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  1. Affected versionversion=See references

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Intel Corporation · Intel FPGA OPAE Driver for Linuxversion=See references

Published CVSS scores

7.8Altera PSIRTCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/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.

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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-427Uncontrolled Search Path Element
T1068Exploitation for Privilege Escalation

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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