CVE-2020-12656
gss_mech_free in net/sunrpc/auth_gss/gss_mech_switch.c in the rpcsec_gss_krb5 implementation in the Linux kernel through 5.6.10 lacks certain domain_release calls, leading to a memory leak.
Does this matter?
Lower severity and a low EPSS score (0.33%). Track it; it rarely justifies an emergency change on its own.
Description
gss_mech_free in net/sunrpc/auth_gss/gss_mech_switch.c in the rpcsec_gss_krb5 implementation in the Linux kernel through 5.6.10 lacks certain domain_release calls, leading to a memory leak. Note: This was disputed with the assertion that the issue does not grant any access not already available. It is a problem that on unloading a specific kernel module some memory is leaked, but loading kernel modules is a privileged operation. A user could also write a kernel module to consume any amount of memory they like and load that replicating the effect of this bug
- CVSS 3.1
- 5.5 MEDIUMCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
- EPSS
- 0.33% probability · 27th percentile
- Public exploits
- None in Exploit-DB
- CISA KEV
- Not listed
- Weakness
- CWE-401
- Affected
- linux/linux kernel · canonical/ubuntu linux · opensuse/leap
- Source
- cve@mitre.org
EPSS 0.3% since 26 October 2026; no change recorded yet. Points are recorded when the score first appears and whenever it moves by a percentage point or more.
References
- http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2020-06/msg00022.htmlMailing List, Third Party Advisory
- http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2020-07/msg00008.htmlMailing List, Third Party Advisory
- https://bugzilla.kernel.org/show_bug.cgi?id=206651Issue Tracking, Vendor Advisory
- https://usn.ubuntu.com/4483-1/Third Party Advisory
- https://usn.ubuntu.com/4485-1/Third Party Advisory
- http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2020-06/msg00022.htmlMailing List, Third Party Advisory
- http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2020-07/msg00008.htmlMailing List, Third Party Advisory
- https://bugzilla.kernel.org/show_bug.cgi?id=206651Issue Tracking, Vendor Advisory
- https://usn.ubuntu.com/4483-1/Third Party Advisory
- https://usn.ubuntu.com/4485-1/Third Party Advisory
Source: NVD record, EPSS from FIRST.org, KEV from CISA, exploits from Exploit-DB. Refreshed daily. Download this record as JSON.