CVE-2020-16092
CWE-617Published: August 11, 2020· Updated: Jun 17, 2026
Official Description
In QEMU through 5.0.0, an assertion failure can occur in the network packet processing. This issue affects the e1000e and vmxnet3 network devices. A malicious guest user/process could use this flaw to abort the QEMU process on the host, resulting in a denial of service condition in net_tx_pkt_add_raw_fragment in hw/net/net_tx_pkt.c.
Technical Analysis
CVE-2020-16092 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.
The vulnerability has a "Changed" scope, meaning successful exploitation can impact components beyond the vulnerable component itself — such as the host operating system or adjacent services.
CVSS v3.1 Vector Breakdown
Affected Vendors & Products
Exploit & PoC Resources
Official Patches & Advisories
All References (16)
Quick Facts
Related CVEs (CWE-617)
Recommended Actions
- →Apply vendor patches immediately
- →Monitor CVE-2020-16092 in threat intel feeds
- →Review IDS/IPS signatures for exploitation attempts