CVE-2020-8597
CRITICALEPSS 97th pctlDescription
eap.c in pppd in ppp 2.4.2 through 2.4.8 has an rhostname buffer overflow in the eap_request and eap_response functions.
How to fix
This Ubuntu release reached end-of-life on 2025-05-31. Extended security maintenance is available until 2030-04-02.
This Ubuntu release reached end-of-life on 2025-05-31. Extended security maintenance is available until 2030-04-02.
This Ubuntu release reached end-of-life on 2025-05-31. Extended security maintenance is available until 2030-04-02.
This Ubuntu release reached end-of-life on 2025-05-31. Extended security maintenance is available until 2030-04-02.
This Ubuntu release reached end-of-life on 2023-05-31. Extended security maintenance is available until 2028-04-01.
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Remediation is compiled from vendor and distribution security advisories. Always confirm against the linked source for your exact version and platform.
CVSS v3 Vector
Exploitability
Impact
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Exploit Intelligence
Very high risk: more likely to be exploited than 97% of all known CVEs.
References
- lists.opensuse.org
- packetstormsecurity.com
- packetstormsecurity.com
- seclists.org
- access.redhat.com
- access.redhat.com
- access.redhat.com
- access.redhat.com
- cert-portal.siemens.com
- kb.netgear.com
- lists.debian.org
- security.gentoo.org
- security.netapp.com
- us-cert.cisa.gov
- usn.ubuntu.com
- usn.ubuntu.com
- debian.org
- kb.cert.org
- synology.com
Related Vulnerabilities
Other CWE-120 (Classic Buffer Overflow) vulnerabilities, ordered by exploit likelihood. View all
| CVE | Severity | CVSS | EPSS | Exploited | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CVE-2014-0195 | Medium | 6.8 | 100% | - | Fix |
| CVE-2017-7269 | Critical | 9.8 | 100% | KEV | - |
| CVE-2019-11043 | High | 8.7 | 100% | KEV + Ransom | Fix |
| CVE-2011-4862 | High | 10.0 | 95% | - | Fix |
| CVE-2007-5659 | High | 7.8 | 94% | KEV | Fix |
| CVE-2022-3786 | High | 7.5 | 92% | - | Fix |
Common questions
How do I fix CVE-2020-8597?
Published advisories record a fix for 10 affected products. The "How to fix" section on this page lists the fixed version and source advisory for each one, so apply the entry matching what you actually run.
Is CVE-2020-8597 being actively exploited?
Not that we know of. CVE-2020-8597 is not in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog. Its EPSS score of 19.9% is the estimated probability that it will be exploited in the next 30 days. That is higher than 97% of all scored CVEs.
How severe is CVE-2020-8597?
CVE-2020-8597 has a CVSS v3 base score of 9.8, rated critical. CVSS rates the technical impact if the vulnerability is exploited, not how likely that is, so weigh it alongside the exploit-prediction score when you decide what to patch first.
What does CVE-2020-8597 affect?
Published advisories record a fix for ppp (Amazon), ppp-debuginfo (Amazon), ppp-devel (Amazon), lwip (Debian), and 6 more. Only products with a sourced advisory are listed, so treat this as what we can cite rather than a complete inventory.
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This product uses NVD data but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. EPSS scores courtesy of FIRST.org (https://www.first.org/epss). Source: CISA KEV Catalog. Data as of 2026-06-17.