CVE-2020-8772

CVE-2020-8772 is a vulnerability that affects the Linux kernel, specifically in the bpf() system call implementation. This flaw allows an attacker to bypass existing security measures and gain elevated privileges on the affected system. The vulnerability was assigned a CVSS 3.1 score of 7.8, indicating its severity. The vulnerability was discovered by researchers from Qualys in February 2020 and reported to the Linux kernel development team. A patch was released on April 14, 2020, which addressed the issue. However, it was not until August 2020 that the vulnerability was publicly disclosed, giving potential attackers several months to exploit the flaw. If left unpatched, CVE-2020-8772 could have allowed an attacker to execute arbitrary code with elevated privileges, potentially leading to a complete compromise of the affected system. Therefore, it is important for users and administrators of Linux systems to ensure that they have applied the necessary patches to prevent exploitation of this vulnerability.