CVE-2020-15437

Name of the Vulnerable Software and Affected Versions Linux kernel versions prior to 5.8

Description The issue is related to a NULL pointer dereference error in the Linux kernel, specifically in the serial8250 isa init ports() function located in drivers/tty/serial/8250/8250 core.c. This error can be exploited by local users to cause a denial of service by utilizing the p->serial in pointer, which is uninitialized. The exploitation allows an attacker to cause a system crash, thus disrupting service.

Recommendations For Linux kernel versions prior to 5.8, update to version 5.8 or later to resolve the issue. As a temporary workaround, consider restricting access to the vulnerable serial8250 isa init ports() function until a patch is applied. Additionally, ensure that all system configurations and user permissions are properly set to minimize the risk of local users exploiting this issue.