CVE-2020-8875

Kernel code execution via IOCTL buffer overwrite

Published Mar 23, 2020 · Updated Aug 4, 2024

Out-of-bounds write in the Parallels Desktop 15.1.2-47123 host kernel module allows local users to execute code in the kernel. Its IOCTL handler fails to validate a user-controlled array index before writing, causing a write beyond an allocated buffer. Exploitation requires low-privileged code execution on the macOS host and grants kernel-context execution without user interaction.

CVSS severity8.8
High
EPSS probability0.55%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
Coverage for this vulnerability

See if you're affected

Explore vulnerability checks for your environment with Hinoki.

Book a demo

Summary

What happened

Out-of-bounds write in the Parallels Desktop 15.1.2-47123 host kernel module allows local users to execute code in the kernel. Its IOCTL handler fails to validate a user-controlled array index before writing, causing a write beyond an allocated buffer. Exploitation requires low-privileged code execution on the macOS host and grants kernel-context execution without user interaction.

The record

CVE
CVE-2020-8875
Published
Mar 23, 2020
Updated
Aug 4, 2024
Vendor
Parallels
Product
Parallels Desktop
Classifications
CWE-787, CWE-129, T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Mar 23, 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

Compare your product and version with the public record. A matching version still requires validation against your environment.

Is a vulnerable build present?

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

  1. Affected versionversion=15.1.2-47123

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Parallels · Parallels Desktopversion=15.1.2-47123

Published CVSS scores

8.8Zero Day InitiativeCVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
8.8NIST National Vulnerability DatabaseCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/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)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-787Out-of-bounds Write
CWE-129Improper Validation of Array Index
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

See the directory against your own environment.

Your stack

Check the software in your environment

Book a demo to see how Hinoki identifies affected software and validates exploitability in your environment.

Book a demo