How severe is CVE-2020-35517?

CVE-2020-35517 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 8.2, rated high severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires high privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.

Is CVE-2020-35517 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 1% (41st percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2020-35517?

CVE-2020-35517 affects Qemu. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.

How do I fix CVE-2020-35517?

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-2020-35517 published?

CVE-2020-35517 was published on 2021-01-28 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2020-35517

CVE-2020-35517 is a high-severity vulnerability in Qemu with a CVSS 3.x base score of 8.2. 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-269.

Key facts

Severity: High (CVSS 3.x base score 8.2)
CVSS v2: 4.6
EPSS exploit prediction: 1% (41st percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-269
Affected product: Qemu
Published: 2021-01-28
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

A flaw was found in qemu. A host privilege escalation issue was found in the virtio-fs shared file system daemon where a privileged guest user is able to create a device special file in the shared directory and use it to r/w access host devices.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2020-35517?: A flaw was found in qemu. A host privilege escalation issue was found in the virtio-fs shared file system daemon where a privileged guest user is able to create a device special file in the shared directory and use it to r/w access host devices.
How severe is CVE-2020-35517?: CVE-2020-35517 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 8.2, rated high severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires high privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.
Is CVE-2020-35517 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 1% (41st percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2020-35517?: CVE-2020-35517 affects Qemu. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.
How do I fix CVE-2020-35517?: 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-2020-35517 published?: CVE-2020-35517 was published on 2021-01-28 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (1)

cpe:2.3:a:qemu:qemu:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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