# CVE-2020-3898: Memory corruption in macOS

> A memory corruption vulnerability in macOS allows an application to gain elevated privileges, requiring a system update to mitigate.

- **Severity:** High 7.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 22 Oct 2020
- **Updated:** 4 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** ALPINE-CVE-2020-3898, DEBIAN-CVE-2020-3898, GHSA-82r2-pfjv-q743, RHSA-2020:4469, RLSA-2020:4469, SUSE-SU-2020:1045-1, SUSE-SU-2020:1083-1, SUSE-SU-2020:14341-1, UBUNTU-CVE-2020-3898, openSUSE-SU-2020:0555-1

## What is CVE-2020-3898?

CVE-2020-3898 is a high-severity memory corruption vulnerability in Apple Mac Os X, published on 22 Oct 2020. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

A memory corruption issue was addressed with improved validation. This issue is fixed in macOS Catalina 10.15.4. An application may be able to gain elevated privileges.

Weakness: CWE-787 (Out-of-bounds Write), CWE-20 (Improper Input Validation)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2020-3898?

It affects 1 product.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `cups` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::appstream | All versions | 1:2.2.6-38.el8 |
| `cups-client` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::appstream | All versions | 1:2.2.6-38.el8 |
| `cups-client-debuginfo` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::appstream | All versions | 1:2.2.6-38.el8 |
| `cups-debuginfo` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::appstream | All versions | 1:2.2.6-38.el8 |
| `cups-debugsource` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::appstream | All versions | 1:2.2.6-38.el8 |
| `cups-devel` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::appstream | All versions | 1:2.2.6-38.el8 |
| `cups-filesystem` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::appstream | All versions | 1:2.2.6-38.el8 |
| `cups-ipptool` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::appstream | All versions | 1:2.2.6-38.el8 |
| `cups-ipptool-debuginfo` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::appstream | All versions | 1:2.2.6-38.el8 |
| `cups-libs-debuginfo` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::appstream | All versions | 1:2.2.6-38.el8 |
| `cups-lpd` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::appstream | All versions | 1:2.2.6-38.el8 |
| `cups-lpd-debuginfo` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::appstream | All versions | 1:2.2.6-38.el8 |
| `cups` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::baseos | All versions | 1:2.2.6-38.el8 |
| `cups-client-debuginfo` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::baseos | All versions | 1:2.2.6-38.el8 |
| `cups-debuginfo` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::baseos | All versions | 1:2.2.6-38.el8 |
| `cups-debugsource` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::baseos | All versions | 1:2.2.6-38.el8 |
| `cups-ipptool-debuginfo` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::baseos | All versions | 1:2.2.6-38.el8 |
| `cups-libs` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::baseos | All versions | 1:2.2.6-38.el8 |
| `cups-libs-debuginfo` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::baseos | All versions | 1:2.2.6-38.el8 |
| `cups-lpd-debuginfo` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::baseos | All versions | 1:2.2.6-38.el8 |
| `cups` | Rocky Linux:8 | All versions | 1:2.2.6-38.el8 |
| `cups` | SUSE:Enterprise Storage 5 | All versions | 1.7.5-20.29.1 |
| `cups` | SUSE:HPE Helion OpenStack 8 | All versions | 1.7.5-20.29.1 |
| `cups` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15-ESPOS | All versions | 2.2.7-3.17.1 |
| `cups` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15-LTSS | All versions | 2.2.7-3.17.1 |
| `cups` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Basesystem 15 SP1 | All versions | 2.2.7-3.17.1 |
| `cups` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Development Tools 15 SP1 | All versions | 2.2.7-3.17.1 |
| `cups` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Point of Sale 11 SP3 | All versions | 1.3.9-8.46.56.11.1 |
| `cups` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 11 SP4-LTSS | All versions | 1.3.9-8.46.56.11.1 |
| `cups` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP1-LTSS | All versions | 1.7.5-20.29.1 |
| `cups` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP2-BCL | All versions | 1.7.5-20.29.1 |
| `cups` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP2-LTSS | All versions | 1.7.5-20.29.1 |
| `cups` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP3-BCL | All versions | 1.7.5-20.29.1 |
| `cups` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP3-LTSS | All versions | 1.7.5-20.29.1 |
| `cups` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP4 | All versions | 1.7.5-20.29.1 |
| `cups` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP5 | All versions | 1.7.5-20.29.1 |
| `cups` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 15-LTSS | All versions | 2.2.7-3.17.1 |
| `cups` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 12 SP1 | All versions | 1.7.5-20.29.1 |
| `cups` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 12 SP2 | All versions | 1.7.5-20.29.1 |
| `cups` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 12 SP3 | All versions | 1.7.5-20.29.1 |

Products: Apple Mac Os X.

## How do I fix CVE-2020-3898?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2020-3898 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2020-3898 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Apple Mac Os X

- [CVE-2014-7169](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2014-7169/): GNU Bourne-Again Shell (Bash) Arbitrary Code Execution (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2014-6271](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2014-6271/): GNU Bourne-Again Shell (Bash) Arbitrary Code Execution (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2012-1823](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2012-1823/): PHP-CGI Query String Parameter (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2021-30713](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-30713/): Apple macOS Unspecified (high 7.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2019-8526](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-8526/): Apple macOS Use-After-Free (high 7.8, exploited in the wild)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2020-3898 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2020-3898 is a high-severity memory corruption vulnerability in Apple Mac Os X, published on 22 Oct 2020. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2020-3898 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Apple Mac Os X. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-3898/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-3898/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2020-3898
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-3898
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2020-3898

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-3898/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.