CVE-2020-7456

Physical code execution via USB HID state corruption

Published Jun 9, 2020 · Updated Aug 4, 2024

Out-of-bounds memory access in affected FreeBSD 12.1 and 11.x releases allows physically proximate attackers to execute kernel or user-space code. The USB HID descriptor parser fails to restore its push/pop state within the same HID item, causing later item processing to use an invalid memory location. Exploitation requires physical access to a USB port and a specially crafted USB device, with execution possible in either kernel or user space.

CVSS severity6.8
Medium
EPSS probability0.56%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Out-of-bounds memory access in affected FreeBSD 12.1 and 11.x releases allows physically proximate attackers to execute kernel or user-space code. The USB HID descriptor parser fails to restore its push/pop state within the same HID item, causing later item processing to use an invalid memory location. Exploitation requires physical access to a USB port and a specially crafted USB device, with execution possible in either kernel or user space.

The record

CVE
CVE-2020-7456
Published
Jun 9, 2020
Updated
Aug 4, 2024
Vendor
The FreeBSD Project
Product
FreeBSD
Classifications
CWE-119, T1200
Attack vector
physical
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jun 9, 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?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=FreeBSD 12.1-RELEASE before p6, 11.3-RELEASE before p10, and 11.4-RC2 before p1

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorphysical
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

The FreeBSD Project · FreeBSDversion=FreeBSD 12.1-RELEASE before p6, 11.3-RELEASE before p10, and 11.4-RC2 before p1

Published CVSS scores

6.8NIST National Vulnerability DatabaseCVSS:3.1/AV:P/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
7.2NIST National Vulnerability DatabaseAV: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
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-119Improper Restriction of Operations within the Bounds of a Memory Buffer
T1200Hardware Additions

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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