An issue was discovered in the Linux kernel through 5.10.1, as used with Xen through 4.14.x. The Linux kernel PV block backend expects the kernel thread handler to reset ring->xenblkd to NULL when stopped. However, the handler may not have time to run if the frontend quickly toggles between the states connect and disconnect. As a consequence, the block backend may re-use a pointer after it was freed. A misbehaving guest can trigger a dom0 crash by continuously connecting / disconnecting a block frontend. Privilege escalation and information leaks cannot be ruled out. This only affects systems with a Linux blkback.
This vulnerability carries a HIGH severity rating with a CVSS v3.1 score of 8.8, requiring local system access to exploit with relatively low complexity without requiring user interaction requiring only low-level privileges . The vulnerability impacts confidentiality (data exposure), integrity (unauthorized modifications), and availability (service disruption) for affected systems. Impacting 7 products from xen, from linux, from netapp and 4 others, organizations running these solutions should prioritize assessment and patching.
Reported in 2020, this vulnerability emerged during an era marked by increased sophistication in supply chain attacks, cloud infrastructure vulnerabilities, and software-as-a-service (SaaS) security challenges. Security practices during this period emphasized zero-trust architectures, container security, and API protection.
2020-12-15T17:15:14.707
2024-11-21T05:24:13.443
Modified
CVSSv3.1: 8.8 (HIGH)
AV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C
3.9
10.0
| Type | Vendor | Product | Version/Range | Vulnerable? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operating System | xen | xen | ≤ 4.14.1 | Yes |
| Operating System | linux | linux_kernel | < 4.2 | Yes |
| Operating System | linux | linux_kernel | < 4.4.254 | Yes |
| Operating System | linux | linux_kernel | < 4.9.249 | Yes |
| Operating System | linux | linux_kernel | < 4.12 | Yes |
| Operating System | linux | linux_kernel | < 4.14.213 | Yes |
| Operating System | linux | linux_kernel | < 4.19.164 | Yes |
| Operating System | linux | linux_kernel | < 5.4.86 | Yes |
| Operating System | linux | linux_kernel | < 5.10.4 | Yes |
| Operating System | netapp | hci_compute_node_bios | - | Yes |
| Hardware | netapp | hci_compute_node | - | No |
| Application | netapp | solidfire_\&_hci_management_node | - | Yes |
| Application | netapp | solidfire_\&_hci_storage_node | - | Yes |
| Operating System | debian | debian_linux | 9.0 | Yes |
| Operating System | debian | debian_linux | 10.0 | Yes |
SecUtils normalizes and enriches National Vulnerability Database (NVD) records by standardizing vendor and product identifiers, aggregating vulnerability metadata from both NVD and MITRE sources, and providing structured context for security teams. For xen's affected products, we extract Common Platform Enumeration (CPE) data, Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE) classifications, CVSS severity metrics, and reference data to enable rapid vulnerability prioritization and asset correlation. This record contains no exploit code, proof-of-concept instructions, or attack methodologies—only defensive intelligence necessary for patch management, risk assessment, and security operations.