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Fencer Vulns
medium 5.7

CVE-2020-15707 json

GRUB2 contained integer overflows when handling the initrd command, leading to a heap-based buffer overflow.

published 2020-07-29 6 y ago modified 2026-06-17 4 mo ago also EUVD-2020-7693

cvss
5.7
version 3.1, CNA
cisa kev
Not listed
not in CISA's catalog
epss
1.6%
EPSS 1.6% chance of exploitation in 30 days, percentile 75%
public exploits
0
none known

Summary

Integer overflows were discovered in the functions grub_cmd_initrd and grub_initrd_init in the efilinux component of GRUB2, as shipped in Debian, Red Hat, and Ubuntu (the functionality is not included in GRUB2 upstream), leading to a heap-based buffer overflow. These could be triggered by an extremely large number of arguments to the initrd command on 32-bit architectures, or a crafted filesystem with very large files on any architecture. An attacker could use this to execute arbitrary code and bypass UEFI Secure Boot restrictions. This issue affects GRUB2 version 2.04 and prior versions.

Patch / fix

  • Ubuntu grub2 in Ubuntu 2.02-2ubuntu8.16, 2.02~beta2-9ubuntu1.20, 2.02~beta2-36ubuntu3.26, 2.04-1ubuntu26.1
  • grub2 Debian 14, Debian 13, Debian 12 2.04-9

debian advisories DEBIAN-CVE-2020-15707

  • grub2 Ubuntu 16.04 LTS 2.02~beta2-36ubuntu3.26
  • grub2 Ubuntu 18.04 LTS 2.02-2ubuntu8.16
  • grub2 Ubuntu 20.04 LTS 2.04-1ubuntu26.1
  • grub2-signed Ubuntu 16.04 LTS 1.66.26
  • grub2-signed Ubuntu 18.04 LTS 1.93.18
  • grub2-signed Ubuntu 20.04 LTS 1.142.3
  • grub2 Ubuntu Pro 14.04 LTS 2.02~beta2-9ubuntu1.20
  • grub2-signed Ubuntu Pro 14.04 LTS 1.34.22

ubuntu advisories UBUNTU-CVE-2020-15707

Ubuntu security data © Canonical Ltd., from https://github.com/canonical/ubuntu-security-notices via OSV; changed: normalised to fixed package versions per release. CC BY-SA 4.0

  • grub2 RHEL 7 1:2.02-0.86.el7_8
  • shim RHEL 7 15-7.el7_9
  • mokutil RHEL 7 15-7.el7_8
  • fwupdate RHEL 7 12-6.el7_8
  • grub2-pc RHEL 7 1:2.02-0.86.el7_8
  • shim-x64 RHEL 7 15-7.el7_8
  • shim-ia32 RHEL 7 15-7.el7_8
  • grub2-ppc64 RHEL 7 1:2.02-0.86.el7_8

red hat advisories RHSA-2020:3276RHSA-2020:3274RHSA-2020:3271RHSA-2020:3275RHSA-2020:3217RHSA-2020:3227

  • grub2 SLES for SAP 12 SP3, SLES 12 SP3-LTSS, SLES 12 SP3-BCL +4 more 2.02-4.53.1
  • grub2 SLES for SAP 12 SP5, SLES for SAP 12 SP4, SLES 12 SP5 +3 more 2.02-12.31.1
  • grub2 SLE Module for Server Applications 15 SP1, SLE Module for Basesystem 15 SP1 2.02-26.25.1
  • grub2 SLES for SAP 12 SP2, SLES 12 SP2-LTSS, SLES 12 SP2-BCL +1 more 2.02~beta2-115.49.1
  • grub2 SLE Module for Server Applications 15 SP2, SLE Module for Basesystem 15 SP2 2.04-9.7.1
  • grub2 SLES for SAP 15, SLES 15-LTSS, SLE High Performance Computing 15-LTSS +1 more 2.02-19.48.1
  • grub2 SLES 11 SP4-LTSS 2.00-0.66.15.1

suse advisories SUSE-SU-2020:2079-1SUSE-SU-2020:2078-1SUSE-SU-2020:2077-1SUSE-SU-2020:2076-1SUSE-SU-2020:14440-1SUSE-SU-2020:2074-1

  • grub2 openSUSE Tumbleweed 2.06-7.1
  • grub2 openSUSE Leap 15.2 2.04-lp152.7.3.4
  • grub2 openSUSE Leap 15.1 2.02-lp151.21.21.4

opensuse advisories openSUSE-SU-2024:10824-1openSUSE-SU-2020:1169-1openSUSE-SU-2020:1168-1

  • grub Alpine 3.24, Alpine 3.23, Alpine 3.22 +5 more 2.06-r0

alpine advisories ALPINE-CVE-2020-15707

Alpine secdb © Alpine Linux, from https://secdb.alpinelinux.org via OSV; changed: normalised to fixed package versions per release. CC BY-SA 4.0

Vendor advisories

What the vendors themselves say about their products: affected, fixed or not affected, and what to do.

red hat product security vex CVE-2020-15707 updated cvss 5.7

grub2: Integer overflow in initrd size handling

  • Red Hat CodeReady Linux Builder (v. 8) shim-unsigned-x64 15-7.el8
    fixed: vendor fix RHSA-2020:3216
  • Red Hat CodeReady Linux Builder EUS (v. 8.1) shim-unsigned-x64 15-7.el8
    fixed: vendor fix RHSA-2020:3223
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS (v. 8) shim 15-14.el8_2, fwupd 1.1.4-7.el8_2, grub2 2.02-87.el8_2, shim-x64 15-14.el8_2, shim-aa64 15-14.el8_2, shim-ia32 15-14.el8_2, +18 more
    fixed: vendor fix RHSA-2020:3216
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS E4S (v. 8.0) shim 15-14.el8_0, fwupd 1.1.4-2.el8_0, grub2 2.02-87.el8_0, shim-x64 15-14.el8_0, shim-ia32 15-14.el8_0, grub2-pc 2.02-87.el8_0, +15 more
    fixed: vendor fix RHSA-2020:3227
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux BaseOS EUS (v. 8.1) shim 15-14.el8_1, fwupd 1.1.4-2.el8_1, grub2 2.02-87.el8_1, shim-x64 15-14.el8_1, shim-aa64 15-14.el8_1, shim-ia32 15-14.el8_1, +18 more
    fixed: vendor fix RHSA-2020:3223
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux Client (v. 7) shim 15-7.el7_9, mokutil 15-7.el7_8, fwupdate 12-6.el7_8, shim-x64 15-7.el7_8, shim-ia32 15-7.el7_8, grub2 2.02-0.86.el7_8, +23 more Red Hat Enterprise Linux Client Optional (v. 7) fwupdate 12-6.el7_8, grub2 2.02-0.86.el7_8, fwupdate-efi 12-6.el7_8, fwupdate-libs 12-6.el7_8, grub2-pc 2.02-0.86.el7_8, grub2-ppc64 2.02-0.86.el7_8, +16 more Red Hat Enterprise Linux ComputeNode (v. 7) shim 15-7.el7_9, mokutil 15-7.el7_8, fwupdate 12-6.el7_8, shim-x64 15-7.el7_8, shim-ia32 15-7.el7_8, grub2 2.02-0.86.el7_8, +23 more
    fixed: vendor fix RHSA-2020:3217
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux ComputeNode EUS (v. 7.6) shim 15-8.el7, mokutil 15-8.el7_6, fwupdate 12-6.el7_6, shim-x64 15-8.el7_6, shim-ia32 15-8.el7_6, grub2 2.02-0.86.el7_6, +23 more
    fixed: vendor fix RHSA-2020:3271
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux ComputeNode EUS (v. 7.7) shim 15-8.el7, mokutil 15-8.el7_7, fwupdate 12-6.el7_7, shim-x64 15-8.el7_7, shim-ia32 15-8.el7_7, grub2 2.02-0.86.el7_7, +23 more
    fixed: vendor fix RHSA-2020:3274
show 23 more
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux ComputeNode Optional (v. 7) fwupdate 12-6.el7_8, grub2 2.02-0.86.el7_8, fwupdate-efi 12-6.el7_8, fwupdate-libs 12-6.el7_8, grub2-pc 2.02-0.86.el7_8, grub2-ppc64 2.02-0.86.el7_8, +16 more
    fixed: vendor fix RHSA-2020:3217
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux ComputeNode Optional EUS (v. 7.6) fwupdate 12-6.el7_6, grub2 2.02-0.86.el7_6, fwupdate-efi 12-6.el7_6, fwupdate-libs 12-6.el7_6, grub2-pc 2.02-0.86.el7_6, grub2-ppc64 2.02-0.86.el7_6, +16 more
    fixed: vendor fix RHSA-2020:3271
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux ComputeNode Optional EUS (v. 7.7) fwupdate 12-6.el7_7, grub2 2.02-0.86.el7_7, fwupdate-efi 12-6.el7_7, fwupdate-libs 12-6.el7_7, grub2-pc 2.02-0.86.el7_7, grub2-ppc64 2.02-0.86.el7_7, +16 more
    fixed: vendor fix RHSA-2020:3274
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux for ARM and IBM Power LE (POWER9) Server (v. 7) grub2 2.02-0.86.el7_6, grub2-pc 2.02-0.86.el7_6, grub2-ppc64 2.02-0.86.el7_6, grub2-tools 2.02-0.86.el7_6, grub2-common 2.02-0.86.el7_6, grub2-efi-x64 2.02-0.86.el7_6, +13 more Red Hat Enterprise Linux for ARM and IBM Power LE (POWER9) Server Optional (v. 7) grub2 2.02-0.86.el7_6, grub2-pc 2.02-0.86.el7_6, grub2-ppc64 2.02-0.86.el7_6, grub2-tools 2.02-0.86.el7_6, grub2-common 2.02-0.86.el7_6, grub2-efi-x64 2.02-0.86.el7_6, +13 more
    fixed: vendor fix RHSA-2020:3271
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server (v. 7) shim 15-7.el7_9, mokutil 15-7.el7_8, fwupdate 12-6.el7_8, shim-x64 15-7.el7_8, shim-ia32 15-7.el7_8, grub2 2.02-0.86.el7_8, +23 more
    fixed: vendor fix RHSA-2020:3217
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server AUS (v. 7.3) shim 15-8.el7, shim 15-8.el7_3, mokutil 15-8.el7_3, grub2 2.02-0.86.el7, grub2-pc 2.02-0.86.el7, shim-signed 15-8.el7_3, +17 more
    fixed: vendor fix RHSA-2020:3276
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server AUS (v. 7.4) shim 15-8.el7, mokutil 15-8.el7_4, fwupdate 9-10.el7_4, shim-x64 15-8.el7_4, shim-ia32 15-8.el7_4, grub2 2.02-0.86.el7_4, +21 more
    fixed: vendor fix RHSA-2020:3275
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server E4S (v. 7.3) shim 15-8.el7, shim 15-8.el7_3, mokutil 15-8.el7_3, grub2 2.02-0.86.el7, grub2-pc 2.02-0.86.el7, shim-signed 15-8.el7_3, +18 more
    fixed: vendor fix RHSA-2020:3276
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server E4S (v. 7.4) shim 15-8.el7, mokutil 15-8.el7_4, fwupdate 9-10.el7_4, shim-x64 15-8.el7_4, shim-ia32 15-8.el7_4, grub2 2.02-0.86.el7_4, +22 more
    fixed: vendor fix RHSA-2020:3275
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server EUS (v. 7.6) shim 15-8.el7, mokutil 15-8.el7_6, fwupdate 12-6.el7_6, shim-x64 15-8.el7_6, shim-ia32 15-8.el7_6, grub2 2.02-0.86.el7_6, +23 more
    fixed: vendor fix RHSA-2020:3271
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server EUS (v. 7.7) shim 15-8.el7, mokutil 15-8.el7_7, fwupdate 12-6.el7_7, shim-x64 15-8.el7_7, shim-ia32 15-8.el7_7, grub2 2.02-0.86.el7_7, +23 more
    fixed: vendor fix RHSA-2020:3274
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server Optional (v. 7) fwupdate 12-6.el7_8, grub2 2.02-0.86.el7_8, fwupdate-efi 12-6.el7_8, fwupdate-libs 12-6.el7_8, grub2-pc 2.02-0.86.el7_8, grub2-ppc64 2.02-0.86.el7_8, +16 more
    fixed: vendor fix RHSA-2020:3217
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server Optional AUS (v. 7.3) shim 15-8.el7, grub2 2.02-0.86.el7, grub2-pc 2.02-0.86.el7, grub2-tools 2.02-0.86.el7, grub2-common 2.02-0.86.el7, shim-unsigned-x64 15-8.el7, +14 more
    fixed: vendor fix RHSA-2020:3276
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server Optional AUS (v. 7.4) fwupdate 9-10.el7_4, grub2 2.02-0.86.el7_4, fwupdate-efi 9-10.el7_4, fwupdate-libs 9-10.el7_4, grub2-pc 2.02-0.86.el7_4, grub2-tools 2.02-0.86.el7_4, +14 more
    fixed: vendor fix RHSA-2020:3275
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server Optional E4S (v. 7.3) shim 15-8.el7, grub2 2.02-0.86.el7, grub2-pc 2.02-0.86.el7, grub2-tools 2.02-0.86.el7, grub2-common 2.02-0.86.el7, shim-unsigned-x64 15-8.el7, +15 more
    fixed: vendor fix RHSA-2020:3276
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server Optional E4S (v. 7.4) fwupdate 9-10.el7_4, grub2 2.02-0.86.el7_4, fwupdate-efi 9-10.el7_4, fwupdate-libs 9-10.el7_4, grub2-pc 2.02-0.86.el7_4, grub2-tools 2.02-0.86.el7_4, +15 more
    fixed: vendor fix RHSA-2020:3275
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server Optional EUS (v. 7.6) fwupdate 12-6.el7_6, grub2 2.02-0.86.el7_6, fwupdate-efi 12-6.el7_6, fwupdate-libs 12-6.el7_6, grub2-pc 2.02-0.86.el7_6, grub2-ppc64 2.02-0.86.el7_6, +16 more
    fixed: vendor fix RHSA-2020:3271
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server Optional EUS (v. 7.7) fwupdate 12-6.el7_7, grub2 2.02-0.86.el7_7, fwupdate-efi 12-6.el7_7, fwupdate-libs 12-6.el7_7, grub2-pc 2.02-0.86.el7_7, grub2-ppc64 2.02-0.86.el7_7, +16 more
    fixed: vendor fix RHSA-2020:3274
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server Optional TUS (v. 7.3) shim 15-8.el7, grub2 2.02-0.86.el7, grub2-pc 2.02-0.86.el7, grub2-tools 2.02-0.86.el7, grub2-common 2.02-0.86.el7, shim-unsigned-x64 15-8.el7, +14 more
    fixed: vendor fix RHSA-2020:3276
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server Optional TUS (v. 7.4) fwupdate 9-10.el7_4, grub2 2.02-0.86.el7_4, fwupdate-efi 9-10.el7_4, fwupdate-libs 9-10.el7_4, grub2-pc 2.02-0.86.el7_4, grub2-tools 2.02-0.86.el7_4, +14 more
    fixed: vendor fix RHSA-2020:3275
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server TUS (v. 7.3) shim 15-8.el7, shim 15-8.el7_3, mokutil 15-8.el7_3, grub2 2.02-0.86.el7, grub2-pc 2.02-0.86.el7, shim-signed 15-8.el7_3, +17 more
    fixed: vendor fix RHSA-2020:3276
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server TUS (v. 7.4) shim 15-8.el7, mokutil 15-8.el7_4, fwupdate 9-10.el7_4, shim-x64 15-8.el7_4, shim-ia32 15-8.el7_4, grub2 2.02-0.86.el7_4, +21 more
    fixed: vendor fix RHSA-2020:3275
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation (v. 7) shim 15-7.el7_9, mokutil 15-7.el7_8, fwupdate 12-6.el7_8, shim-x64 15-7.el7_8, shim-ia32 15-7.el7_8, grub2 2.02-0.86.el7_8, +23 more Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation Optional (v. 7) fwupdate 12-6.el7_8, grub2 2.02-0.86.el7_8, fwupdate-efi 12-6.el7_8, fwupdate-libs 12-6.el7_8, grub2-pc 2.02-0.86.el7_8, grub2-ppc64 2.02-0.86.el7_8, +16 more
    fixed: vendor fix RHSA-2020:3217

Red Hat CSAF VEX © Red Hat, Inc., from https://security.access.redhat.com/data/csaf/v2/vex/; changed: reduced to product statuses and remediations. CC BY 4.0 · csaf

cisa ICSA-21-336-06 updated cvss 6.4

Hitachi Energy APM Edge

  • Hitachi Energy APM Edge 3.0, 2.0, 1.0
    affected: vendor fix, mitigation “Physically protect process control systems from direct access by unauthorized personnel.” search.abb.com

From CISA ICS and IT advisories (CSAF, https://github.com/cisagov/CSAF), a U.S. Government work; changed: reduced to products, statuses and remediations. CISA notification · csaf

Exploit prediction

1.57% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days, higher than 75% of all scored CVEs (FIRST EPSS, 2026-11-08).

Exploits and checks

  • eclypsium.com https://www.eclypsium.com/2020/07/29/theres-a-hole-in-the-boot/ referenced PoC, tagged "exploit" by a source, unverified

CVSS scores

assigned by version score vector
CNA 3.1 5.7 CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:H
NVD 3.1 6.4 CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
NVD 2.0 4.4 AV:L/AC:M/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P

Affected products

  • Ubuntu grub2 in Ubuntu

Classification

Weakness
  • CWE-362 Concurrent Execution using Shared Resource with Improper Synchronization
  • CWE-190 Integer Overflow or Wraparound

References

Sources

Fencer Vulns keeps one entry per vulnerability: the CVE id wins, then GHSA, and records that alias each other are merged, except that two CVEs always keep separate entries. The same data is available as JSON.