How severe is CVE-2020-22916?

CVE-2020-22916 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 5.5, rated medium severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is none, integrity none, and availability high.

Is CVE-2020-22916 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (15th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2020-22916?

CVE-2020-22916 affects Tukaani Xz. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.

How do I fix CVE-2020-22916?

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

When was CVE-2020-22916 published?

CVE-2020-22916 was published on 2023-08-22 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2020-22916

CVE-2020-22916 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Tukaani Xz 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.

Key facts

Severity: Medium (CVSS 3.x base score 5.5)
EPSS exploit prediction: 0% (15th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Affected product: Tukaani Xz
Published: 2023-08-22
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

An issue discovered in XZ 5.2.5 allows attackers to cause a denial of service via decompression of a crafted file. NOTE: the vendor disputes the claims of "endless output" and "denial of service" because decompression of the 17,486 bytes always results in 114,881,179 bytes, which is often a reasonable size increase.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2020-22916?: An issue discovered in XZ 5.2.5 allows attackers to cause a denial of service via decompression of a crafted file. NOTE: the vendor disputes the claims of "endless output" and "denial of service" because decompression of the 17,486 bytes always results in 114,881,179 bytes, which is often a reasonable size increase.
How severe is CVE-2020-22916?: CVE-2020-22916 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 5.5, rated medium severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is none, integrity none, and availability high.
Is CVE-2020-22916 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (15th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2020-22916?: CVE-2020-22916 affects Tukaani Xz. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.
How do I fix CVE-2020-22916?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.
When was CVE-2020-22916 published?: CVE-2020-22916 was published on 2023-08-22 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (1)

cpe:2.3:a:tukaani:xz:5.2.5:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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