How severe is CVE-2020-36788?

CVE-2020-36788 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-2020-36788 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (14th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2020-36788?

CVE-2020-36788 primarily affects Linux Linux Kernel. In total, 5 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.

How do I fix CVE-2020-36788?

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.

Does CVE-2020-36788 have an EU (EUVD) identifier?

Yes. CVE-2020-36788 is tracked in the ENISA EU Vulnerability Database (EUVD) as EUVD-2020-24229.

When was CVE-2020-36788 published?

CVE-2020-36788 was published on 2024-05-21 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2020-36788

CVE-2020-36788 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-416.

Key facts

Severity: High (CVSS 3.x base score 7.8)
EPSS exploit prediction: 0% (14th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
EU (EUVD) id: EUVD-2020-24229
Weakness: CWE-416
Affected product: Linux Linux Kernel
Published: 2024-05-21
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: drm/nouveau: avoid a use-after-free when BO init fails nouveau_bo_init() is backed by ttm_bo_init() and ferries its return code back to the caller. On failures, ttm_bo_init() invokes the provided destructor which should de-initialize and free the memory. Thus, when nouveau_bo_init() returns an error the gem object has already been released and the memory freed by nouveau_bo_del_ttm().

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2020-36788?: In the Linux kernel, the following vulnerability has been resolved: drm/nouveau: avoid a use-after-free when BO init fails nouveau_bo_init() is backed by ttm_bo_init() and ferries its return code back to the caller. On failures, ttm_bo_init() invokes the provided destructor which should de-initialize and free the memory. Thus, when nouveau_bo_init() returns an error the gem object has already been released and the memory freed by nouveau_bo_del_ttm().
How severe is CVE-2020-36788?: CVE-2020-36788 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-2020-36788 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (14th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2020-36788?: CVE-2020-36788 primarily affects Linux Linux Kernel. In total, 5 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2020-36788?: 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.
Does CVE-2020-36788 have an EU (EUVD) identifier?: Yes. CVE-2020-36788 is tracked in the ENISA EU Vulnerability Database (EUVD) as EUVD-2020-24229.
When was CVE-2020-36788 published?: CVE-2020-36788 was published on 2024-05-21 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (5)

cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:5.15:rc1:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:5.15:rc2:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:5.15:rc3:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:linux:linux_kernel:5.15:rc4:*:*:*:*:*:*

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