CVE-2020-10725 : What You Need to Know

A flaw in DPDK version 19.11 and above allows a malicious guest to cause a segmentation fault in the vhost-user backend application, impacting connectivity for other guests.

Understanding CVE-2020-10725

This CVE involves a vulnerability in DPDK that can be exploited by a malicious guest to disrupt the host's vhost-user backend application, affecting other guests' connectivity.

What is CVE-2020-10725?

CVE-2020-10725 is a security flaw in DPDK versions 19.11 and above that enables a malicious guest to trigger a segmentation fault in the host's vhost-user backend application, potentially leading to connectivity issues for other guests on the same host. The vulnerability arises from a missing validity check in the function

virtio_dev_rx_batch_packed()

.

The Impact of CVE-2020-10725

The impact of this CVE includes:

High availability impact
High base score of 7.7, indicating a severe vulnerability
Low attack complexity and privileges required
Scope changed due to the vulnerability
No impact on confidentiality or integrity
Network-based attack vector

Technical Details of CVE-2020-10725

This section provides technical details of the CVE.

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability allows a malicious guest to cause a segmentation fault in the vhost-user backend application, affecting connectivity for other guests on the host.

Affected Systems and Versions

Product: DPDK
Vendor: [UNKNOWN]
Versions affected: 20.02.1, 19.11.2

Exploitation Mechanism

The flaw can be exploited by a malicious guest through a missing validity check of the descriptor address in the function

virtio_dev_rx_batch_packed()

.

Mitigation and Prevention

Protect your systems from CVE-2020-10725 with these mitigation strategies.

Immediate Steps to Take

Apply vendor patches promptly
Monitor network traffic for any suspicious activity
Implement network segmentation to limit the impact of potential attacks

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update and patch software to address vulnerabilities
Conduct security assessments and audits to identify and mitigate risks

Patching and Updates

Stay informed about security updates from DPDK and apply patches as soon as they are available