How severe is CVE-2019-20172?

CVE-2019-20172 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.8, rated high severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.

Is CVE-2019-20172 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (38th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2019-20172?

CVE-2019-20172 affects Serenityos. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.

How do I fix CVE-2019-20172?

Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its high severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.

When was CVE-2019-20172 published?

CVE-2019-20172 was published on 2019-12-31 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2019-20172

CVE-2019-20172 is a high-severity vulnerability in Serenityos with a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.8. It is not currently listed as actively exploited by CISA, and its EPSS exploit-prediction score is low. The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-119.

Key facts

Severity: High (CVSS 3.x base score 7.8)
CVSS v2: 4.6
EPSS exploit prediction: 0% (38th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-119
Affected product: Serenityos
Published: 2019-12-31
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

Kernel/VM/MemoryManager.cpp in SerenityOS before 2019-12-30 does not reject syscalls with pointers into the kernel-only virtual address space, which allows local users to gain privileges by overwriting a return address that was found on the kernel stack.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2019-20172?: Kernel/VM/MemoryManager.cpp in SerenityOS before 2019-12-30 does not reject syscalls with pointers into the kernel-only virtual address space, which allows local users to gain privileges by overwriting a return address that was found on the kernel stack.
How severe is CVE-2019-20172?: CVE-2019-20172 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.8, rated high severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.
Is CVE-2019-20172 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (38th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2019-20172?: CVE-2019-20172 affects Serenityos. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.
How do I fix CVE-2019-20172?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its high severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.
When was CVE-2019-20172 published?: CVE-2019-20172 was published on 2019-12-31 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (1)

cpe:2.3:o:serenityos:serenityos:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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