How severe is CVE-2020-15704?

CVE-2020-15704 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 5.5, rated medium severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity none, and availability none.

Is CVE-2020-15704 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (28th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2020-15704?

CVE-2020-15704 affects Canonical Ppp. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.

How do I fix CVE-2020-15704?

Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.

When was CVE-2020-15704 published?

CVE-2020-15704 was published on 2020-09-01 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2020-15704

CVE-2020-15704 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Canonical Ppp with a CVSS 3.x base score of 5.5. 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-20.

Key facts

Severity: Medium (CVSS 3.x base score 5.5)
CVSS v2: 2.1
EPSS exploit prediction: 0% (28th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-20
Affected product: Canonical Ppp
Published: 2020-09-01
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

The modprobe child process in the ./debian/patches/load_ppp_generic_if_needed patch file incorrectly handled module loading. A local non-root attacker could exploit the MODPROBE_OPTIONS environment variable to read arbitrary root files. Fixed in 2.4.5-5ubuntu1.4, 2.4.5-5.1ubuntu2.3+esm2, 2.4.7-1+2ubuntu1.16.04.3, 2.4.7-2+2ubuntu1.3, 2.4.7-2+4.1ubuntu5.1, 2.4.7-2+4.1ubuntu6. Was ZDI-CAN-11504.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2020-15704?: The modprobe child process in the ./debian/patches/load_ppp_generic_if_needed patch file incorrectly handled module loading. A local non-root attacker could exploit the MODPROBE_OPTIONS environment variable to read arbitrary root files. Fixed in 2.4.5-5ubuntu1.4, 2.4.5-5.1ubuntu2.3+esm2, 2.4.7-1+2ubuntu1.16.04.3, 2.4.7-2+2ubuntu1.3, 2.4.7-2+4.1ubuntu5.1, 2.4.7-2+4.1ubuntu6. Was ZDI-CAN-11504.
How severe is CVE-2020-15704?: CVE-2020-15704 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 5.5, rated medium severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity none, and availability none.
Is CVE-2020-15704 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (28th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2020-15704?: CVE-2020-15704 affects Canonical Ppp. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.
How do I fix CVE-2020-15704?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.
When was CVE-2020-15704 published?: CVE-2020-15704 was published on 2020-09-01 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (1)

cpe:2.3:a:canonical:ppp:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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