MEDIUM
CVE-2020-21583
NVD-CWE-noinfoPublished: August 22, 2023· Updated: Jun 17, 2026
6.7
CVSS v3.1
Official Description
An issue was discovered in hwclock.13-v2.27 allows attackers to gain escalated privlidges or execute arbitrary commands via the path parameter when setting the date.
Technical Analysis
CVE-2020-21583 requires local access, meaning attackers must already have a foothold on the target system.
Exploitation requires high privileges, which limits the exposure to scenarios where an attacker has already gained initial access.
A successful exploit results in complete confidentiality breach (data exposure), full integrity compromise (data manipulation), availability disruption (denial of service), with a CVSS base score of 6.7.
CVSS v3.1 Vector Breakdown
Exploitability
Attack VectorLocal
Attack ComplexityLow
Privileges Req.High
User InteractionNone
ScopeUnchanged
Impact
ConfidentialityHigh
IntegrityHigh
AvailabilityHigh
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Affected Vendors & Products
kernel1 product(s)
util-linux
Source: NVD CPE · 1 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
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Official Patches & Advisories
All References (5)
→
https://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=786804Exploit · Mailing List · Patch · Third Party Advisory
→
https://packetstormsecurity.com/files/132061/hwclock-Privilege-Escalation.htmlExploit · Third Party Advisory · VDB Entry
→
https://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=786804Exploit · Mailing List · Patch · Third Party Advisory
→
https://packetstormsecurity.com/files/132061/hwclock-Privilege-Escalation.htmlExploit · Third Party Advisory · VDB Entry
Quick Facts
CVE IDCVE-2020-21583
CVSS Score6.7 / 10
SeverityMEDIUM
WeaknessNVD-CWE-noinfo
CISA KEVNo
Affected1 vendor(s)
PublishedAug 22, 2023
Related CVEs (NVD-CWE-noinfo)
Recommended Actions
- →Apply vendor patches immediately
- →Monitor CVE-2020-21583 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.