How severe is CVE-2020-9954?

CVE-2020-9954 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.8, rated high severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.

Is CVE-2020-9954 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 1% (69th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2020-9954?

CVE-2020-9954 primarily affects Apple Ipados. In total, 5 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.

How do I fix CVE-2020-9954?

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-2020-9954 published?

CVE-2020-9954 was published on 2020-12-08 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2020-9954

CVE-2020-9954 is a high-severity vulnerability in Apple Ipados 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-120.

Key facts

Severity: High (CVSS 3.x base score 7.8)
CVSS v2: 6.8
EPSS exploit prediction: 1% (69th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-120
Affected product: Apple Ipados
Published: 2020-12-08
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

A buffer overflow issue was addressed with improved memory handling. This issue is fixed in watchOS 7.0, tvOS 14.0, macOS Catalina 10.15.7, Security Update 2020-005 High Sierra, Security Update 2020-005 Mojave, iOS 14.0 and iPadOS 14.0. Playing a malicious audio file may lead to arbitrary code execution.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2020-9954?: A buffer overflow issue was addressed with improved memory handling. This issue is fixed in watchOS 7.0, tvOS 14.0, macOS Catalina 10.15.7, Security Update 2020-005 High Sierra, Security Update 2020-005 Mojave, iOS 14.0 and iPadOS 14.0. Playing a malicious audio file may lead to arbitrary code execution.
How severe is CVE-2020-9954?: CVE-2020-9954 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.8, rated high severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.
Is CVE-2020-9954 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 1% (69th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2020-9954?: CVE-2020-9954 primarily affects Apple Ipados. In total, 5 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2020-9954?: 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-2020-9954 published?: CVE-2020-9954 was published on 2020-12-08 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (5)

cpe:2.3:o:apple:ipados:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:apple:iphone_os:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:apple:mac_os_x:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:apple:tvos:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:apple:watchos:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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