CVE-2020-14378 [Low] | Integer Overflow in Data Plane Development Kit

An integer underflow in dpdk versions before 18.11.10 and before 19.11.5 in the `move_desc` function can lead to large amounts of CPU cycles being eaten up in a long running loop. An attacker could cause `move_desc` to get stuck in a 4,294,967,295-count iteration loop. Depending on how `vhost_crypto` is being used this could prevent other VMs or network tasks from being serviced by the busy DPDK lcore for an extended period.

#	Date	Old EPSS score	New EPSS score	Delta (New - Old)
1	2026-06-15	0.07%	0.39%	+0.32%
2	2025-03-17	0.05%	0.07%	+0.03%
3	2023-03-07	—	0.05%	—

Date

Old EPSS score

New EPSS score

Delta (New - Old)

2026-06-15

0.07%

0.39%

+0.32%

2025-03-17

0.05%

0.07%

+0.03%

2023-03-07

—

0.05%

—

Base score	Version	Severity	Vector	Exploitability	Impact	Score source
3.3	3.1	LOW	`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L` Click to expand Attack vector (AV:L) They already need access on the box, or another person has to do something wrong; it’s not a remote drive-by. Attack complexity (AC:L) Once they can reach the bug, pulling it off is straightforward—no weird race conditions or rare setup. Privileges required (PR:L) A normal user session is enough; they don’t have to be admin. User interaction (UI:N) Nobody has to click “OK” or open a trap file; it can work without a victim helping. Scope (S:U) Damage stays in the same “trust bubble” as the broken component—no big spill into unrelated systems. Confidentiality (C:N) Doesn’t really leak secrets in a meaningful way. Integrity (I:N) Data isn’t meaningfully altered or forged. Availability (A:L) Might cause slowdowns, glitches, or partial disruption—not a full brick.	1.8	1.4	[email protected]
2.1	2.0	LOW	`AV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:N/I:N/A:P` Click to expand Access vector (AV:L) Requires local access to the target system. Access complexity (AC:L) Exploitation conditions are straightforward and predictable. Authentication (AU:N) No authentication is required. Confidentiality impact (C:N) No confidentiality impact. Integrity impact (I:N) No integrity impact. Availability impact (A:P) Partial availability impact.	3.9	2.9	[email protected]

Base score

Version

Severity

Vector

Exploitability

Impact

Score source

3.3

3.1

LOW

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L Click to expand

Attack vector (AV:L): They already need access on the box, or another person has to do something wrong; it’s not a remote drive-by.
Attack complexity (AC:L): Once they can reach the bug, pulling it off is straightforward—no weird race conditions or rare setup.
Privileges required (PR:L): A normal user session is enough; they don’t have to be admin.
User interaction (UI:N): Nobody has to click “OK” or open a trap file; it can work without a victim helping.
Scope (S:U): Damage stays in the same “trust bubble” as the broken component—no big spill into unrelated systems.
Confidentiality (C:N): Doesn’t really leak secrets in a meaningful way.
Integrity (I:N): Data isn’t meaningfully altered or forged.
Availability (A:L): Might cause slowdowns, glitches, or partial disruption—not a full brick.

1.8

1.4

[email protected]

2.1

2.0

LOW

AV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:N/I:N/A:P Click to expand

Access vector (AV:L): Requires local access to the target system.
Access complexity (AC:L): Exploitation conditions are straightforward and predictable.
Authentication (AU:N): No authentication is required.
Confidentiality impact (C:N): No confidentiality impact.
Integrity impact (I:N): No integrity impact.
Availability impact (A:P): Partial availability impact.

3.9

2.9

[email protected]

OS Trackers for CVE-2020-14378

vendor	priority	summary	link
`debian`	not yet assigned	CVE-2020-14378 not yet assigned priority: Debian including 1 source packages (dpdk), 5 status rows across 5 suites (bookworm, bullseye, forky, sid, trixie): resolved 5.	https://security-tracker.debian.org/tracker/CVE-2020-14378
`redhat`	low	—	https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2020-14378
`suse`	high	CVE-2020-14378 severity important: SUSE including 88 source package names (dpdk, dpdk-18.11.9-3.15.1, …), 132 product×package rows across 30 product lines (SUSE Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15-ESPOS, SUSE Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15-LTSS, … (30 product lines)): Fixed 117, Known Not Affected 15.	https://www.suse.com/security/cve/CVE-2020-14378/
`ubuntu`	low	CVE-2020-14378 low priority: Ubuntu including 1 source packages (dpdk), 5 status rows across 5 suites (bionic, focal, trusty, upstream, xenial): not-affected 2, DNE 1, needs-triage 1, released 1.	https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2020-14378

Affected software / configurations for CVE-2020-14378

Vendor	Product	Version	Raw CPE
dpdk	data_plane_development_kit	>= 18.02.1, < 18.11.10	cpe:2.3:a:dpdk:data_plane_development_kit::::::::
dpdk	data_plane_development_kit	>= 19.02, < 19.11.5	cpe:2.3:a:dpdk:data_plane_development_kit::::::::
canonical	ubuntu_linux	20.04	cpe:2.3:o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:20.04::::lts:::
opensuse	leap	15.1	cpe:2.3:o:opensuse:leap:15.1:::::::*
opensuse	leap	15.2	cpe:2.3:o:opensuse:leap:15.2:::::::*

References for CVE-2020-14378

URL	Tags
http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2020-10/msg00004.html	Mailing List Third Party Advisory
http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2020-10/msg00006.html	Mailing List Third Party Advisory
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2021/01/04/1	Mailing List Third Party Advisory
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2021/01/04/2	Mailing List Third Party Advisory
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2021/01/04/5	Mailing List Third Party Advisory
https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1879473	Issue Tracking Third Party Advisory
https://usn.ubuntu.com/4550-1/	Third Party Advisory
https://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2020/09/28/3	Mailing List Patch Third Party Advisory

URL

CVE-2020-14378

Exploit prediction scoring system (EPSS) score for CVE-2020-14378

Common vulnerability scoring system (CVSS) metrics for CVE-2020-14378

Weakness enumeration for CVE-2020-14378

OS Trackers for CVE-2020-14378

Affected software / configurations for CVE-2020-14378

References for CVE-2020-14378