How severe is CVE-2020-13974?

CVE-2020-13974 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-2020-13974 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 1% (43rd percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2020-13974?

CVE-2020-13974 primarily affects Linux Linux Kernel. In total, 6 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.

How do I fix CVE-2020-13974?

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-2020-13974 published?

CVE-2020-13974 was published on 2020-06-09 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2020-13974

CVE-2020-13974 is a high-severity vulnerability in Linux Linux Kernel 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-190.

Key facts

Severity: High (CVSS 3.x base score 7.8)
CVSS v2: 7.2
EPSS exploit prediction: 1% (43rd percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-190
Affected product: Linux Linux Kernel
Published: 2020-06-09
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

An issue was discovered in the Linux kernel 4.4 through 5.7.1. drivers/tty/vt/keyboard.c has an integer overflow if k_ascii is called several times in a row, aka CID-b86dab054059. NOTE: Members in the community argue that the integer overflow does not lead to a security issue in this case.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2020-13974?: An issue was discovered in the Linux kernel 4.4 through 5.7.1. drivers/tty/vt/keyboard.c has an integer overflow if k_ascii is called several times in a row, aka CID-b86dab054059. NOTE: Members in the community argue that the integer overflow does not lead to a security issue in this case.
How severe is CVE-2020-13974?: CVE-2020-13974 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-2020-13974 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 1% (43rd percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2020-13974?: CVE-2020-13974 primarily affects Linux Linux Kernel. In total, 6 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2020-13974?: 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-2020-13974 published?: CVE-2020-13974 was published on 2020-06-09 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (6)

cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:debian:debian_linux:9.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:14.04:*:*:*:esm:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:16.04:*:*:*:esm:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:18.04:*:*:*:lts:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:20.04:*:*:*:lts:*:*:*

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