MEDIUM
CVE-2020-14314
CWE-125Published: September 15, 2020· Updated: Jun 17, 2026
5.5
CVSS v3.1
Official Description
A memory out-of-bounds read flaw was found in the Linux kernel before 5.9-rc2 with the ext3/ext4 file system, in the way it accesses a directory with broken indexing. This flaw allows a local user to crash the system if the directory exists. The highest threat from this vulnerability is to system availability.
Technical Analysis
CVE-2020-14314 requires local access, meaning attackers must already have a foothold on the target system.
Exploitation requires low privileges, which limits the exposure to scenarios where an attacker has already gained initial access.
A successful exploit results in availability disruption (denial of service), with a CVSS base score of 5.5.
CVSS v3.1 Vector Breakdown
Exploitability
Attack VectorLocal
Attack ComplexityLow
Privileges Req.Low
User InteractionNone
ScopeUnchanged
Impact
ConfidentialityNone
IntegrityNone
AvailabilityHigh
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
Affected Vendors & Products
Canonical1 product(s)
ubuntu linux
Debian1 product(s)
debian linux
Linux1 product(s)
linux kernel
starwindsoftware1 product(s)
starwind virtual san
Source: NVD CPE · 8 total CPE entries
Exploit & PoC Resources
NO KNOWN EXPLOITNo public exploit confirmed at this time
Exploit-DB
Offensive Security exploit database
GitHub PoC Search
Community PoC repositories
Rapid7 / Metasploit
Metasploit module search
PacketStorm
Security advisories & exploits
NVD Detail
Official NIST entry
MITRE CVE
CVE Program entry
External links open in a new tab. Always verify in a controlled environment before use.
Official Patches & Advisories
ADVISORYhttps://usn.ubuntu.com/4576-1/
ADVISORYhttps://usn.ubuntu.com/4578-1/
ADVISORYhttps://usn.ubuntu.com/4579-1/
ADVISORYhttps://usn.ubuntu.com/4576-1/
ADVISORYhttps://usn.ubuntu.com/4578-1/
ADVISORYhttps://usn.ubuntu.com/4579-1/
All References (20)
→
https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=CVE-2020-14314Issue Tracking · Third Party Advisory
→
→
https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2020/09/msg00025.htmlMailing List · Third Party Advisory
→
https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2020/10/msg00032.htmlMailing List · Third Party Advisory
→
https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2020/10/msg00034.htmlMailing List · Third Party Advisory
→
https://usn.ubuntu.com/4576-1/Third Party Advisory
→
https://usn.ubuntu.com/4578-1/Third Party Advisory
→
https://usn.ubuntu.com/4579-1/Third Party Advisory
→
https://www.starwindsoftware.com/security/sw-20210325-0003/Third Party Advisory
→
https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=CVE-2020-14314Issue Tracking · Third Party Advisory
→
→
https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2020/09/msg00025.htmlMailing List · Third Party Advisory
→
https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2020/10/msg00032.htmlMailing List · Third Party Advisory
→
https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2020/10/msg00034.htmlMailing List · Third Party Advisory
Quick Facts
CVE IDCVE-2020-14314
CVSS Score5.5 / 10
SeverityMEDIUM
WeaknessCWE-125
CISA KEVNo
Affected4 vendor(s)
PublishedSep 15, 2020
Related CVEs (CWE-125)
Recommended Actions
- →Apply vendor patches immediately
- →Monitor CVE-2020-14314 in threat intel feeds
- →Review IDS/IPS signatures for exploitation attempts
Data sourced from NVD (NIST), CISA KEV, and EPSS (FIRST). Analysis generated by CTIWATCH.COM. CVE data is provided under the NVD usage policy.