CVE-2020-36224: Software Security Vulnerability Vulnerability

HIGH
Advisory Identifier: GHSA-f4ph-wxvj-8j8g
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CVSS 7.5
CWE-763
Published
Advisory Summary

CVE-2020-36224 is a HIGH (CVSS 7.5) security vulnerability vulnerability (CWE-763: Release of Invalid Pointer or Reference) affecting Software libraries in the Maven ecosystem. The weakness occurs when the product attempts to return a memory resource to the system, but it calls the wrong release function or calls the appropriate release function incorrectly.. Remediation is available in the latest vendor maintenance releases.

CVE-2020-36224 at a Glance

CVE Identifier CVE-2020-36224
GHSA Identifier GHSA-f4ph-wxvj-8j8g
Severity HIGH
CVSS v3.1 Base Score 7.5
CWE Classification CWE-763: Release of Invalid Pointer or Reference
Affected Product Software
Package Ecosystem Maven
Published Date
Last Updated

Security Impact

CVSS: 7.5

The security impact metrics below are parsed directly from the CVSS v3.1 vector string (CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H).

Attack Vector Network (AV:N)
Attack Complexity Low (AC:L)
Privileges Required None (PR:N)
User Interaction None (UI:N)
Scope Unchanged (S:U)
Confidentiality None (C:N)
Integrity None (I:N)
Availability High (A:H)

How to Fix CVE-2020-36224

To remediate this vulnerability, upgrade all affected Software dependencies to a patched release. Both direct and transitive dependencies should be checked, as frameworks or security libraries may pull in vulnerable versions transitively.

Verify Direct and Transitive Dependencies

Run the following command in your project directory to verify that all resolved dependencies use the patched release: 

mvn dependency:tree

How to Check if You Are Affected

To determine whether your Java application is affected by CVE-2020-36224, inspect your build dependencies using the Maven Dependency Plugin:

mvn dependency:tree

Analyze the terminal output to locate any version of Software in your dependency tree. If any resolved version matches the vulnerable ranges listed in the table below (for example, versions earlier than the patched release), your application is affected.

Note: The mvn dependency:tree command inspects the resolved dependency graph declared in your project's POM files; it does not perform automated security scanning or inspect runtime dynamic classpaths. Always verify runtime container classpaths and shaded JARs.

Technical Details

Vulnerability Mechanism & Technical Analysis

This vulnerability is classified under CWE-763: Release of Invalid Pointer or Reference, where the product attempts to return a memory resource to the system, but it calls the wrong release function or calls the appropriate release function incorrectly. In Software, software state validation or input boundaries are circumvented during processing. Review the official source advisory statement below for specific affected components, classes, and reproduction details.

Source Advisory Statement

A flaw was discovered in OpenLDAP before 2.4.57 leading to an invalid pointer free and slapd crash in the saslAuthzTo processing, resulting in denial of service.

References

NVD — CVE-2020-36224 NVD
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-36224
Software Security Information SECURITY
https://www.debian.org/security/2021/dsa-4845
support.apple.com/kb/ht212531 WEB
https://support.apple.com/kb/HT212531
support.apple.com/kb/ht212530 WEB
https://support.apple.com/kb/HT212530
support.apple.com/kb/ht212529 WEB
https://support.apple.com/kb/HT212529
Software Security Information SECURITY
https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20210226-0002
lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce... WEB
https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2021/02/msg00005.html
lists.apache.org/thread.html/rf4c027... WEB
https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/rf4c02775860db415b4955778a131c2795223f61cb8c6a450893651e4@%3Cissues.bookkeeper.apache.org%3E
lists.apache.org/thread.html/rf4c027... WEB
https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/rf4c02775860db415b4955778a131c2795223f61cb8c6a450893651e4%40%3Cissues.bookkeeper.apache.org%3E
git.openldap.org/openldap/openldap/-... WEB
https://git.openldap.org/openldap/openldap/-/tags/OPENLDAP_REL_ENG_2_4_57
lists.apache.org/thread.html/r58af02... WEB
https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/r58af02e294bd07f487e2c64ffc0a29b837db5600e33b6e698b9d696b@%3Cissues.bookkeeper.apache.org%3E
lists.apache.org/thread.html/r58af02... WEB
https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/r58af02e294bd07f487e2c64ffc0a29b837db5600e33b6e698b9d696b%40%3Cissues.bookkeeper.apache.org%3E
git.openldap.org/openldap/openldap/-... WEB
https://git.openldap.org/openldap/openldap/-/commit/d169e7958a3e0dc70f59c8374bf8a59833b7bdd8
git.openldap.org/openldap/openldap/-... WEB
https://git.openldap.org/openldap/openldap/-/commit/c0b61a9486508e5202aa2e0cfb68c9813731b439
git.openldap.org/openldap/openldap/-... WEB
https://git.openldap.org/openldap/openldap/-/commit/5a2017d4e61a6ddc4dcb4415028e0d08eb6bca26
git.openldap.org/openldap/openldap/-... WEB
https://git.openldap.org/openldap/openldap/-/commit/554dff1927176579d652f2fe60c90e9abbad4c65
cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/html/ss... WEB
https://cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/html/ssa-398330.html
bugs.openldap.org/show_bug.cgi WEB
https://bugs.openldap.org/show_bug.cgi?id=9409
seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2021... WEB
http://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2021/May/64
seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2021... WEB
http://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2021/May/65
seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2021... WEB
http://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2021/May/70

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2020-36224?
CVE-2020-36224 is a security vulnerability in Software classified as a security vulnerability vulnerability under CWE-763: Release of Invalid Pointer or Reference.
Which Software versions are affected?
Affected versions include releases prior to current release patches.
What version fixes CVE-2020-36224?
Upgrading to current release patches (or the latest patched release for your respective branch) resolves the vulnerability.
What is the CVSS score of CVE-2020-36224?
CVE-2020-36224 has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 7.5 (HIGH) with vector string CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H.
What CWE is associated with CVE-2020-36224?
CVE-2020-36224 is classified under CWE-763: Release of Invalid Pointer or Reference (The product attempts to return a memory resource to the system, but it calls the wrong release function or calls the appropriate release function incorrectly.).
How can I check Maven dependencies for CVE-2020-36224?
Run the dependency tree command: 'mvn dependency:tree'. This command lists direct and transitive dependencies in your build configuration so you can verify if a vulnerable version is resolved.
Machine-readable OSV JSON OSV v1.5 Schema
Normalized schema output
View Raw JSON 
{
  "schema_version" : "1.4.0",
  "id" : "GHSA-f4ph-wxvj-8j8g",
  "modified" : "2026-10-14T12:31:16Z",
  "published" : "2022-05-24T17:40:17Z",
  "aliases" : [ "CVE-2020-36224" ],
  "details" : "A flaw was discovered in OpenLDAP before 2.4.57 leading to an invalid pointer free and slapd crash in the saslAuthzTo processing, resulting in denial of service.",
  "severity" : [ {
    "type" : "CVSS_V3",
    "score" : "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H"
  } ],
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    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://www.debian.org/security/2021/dsa-4845"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://support.apple.com/kb/HT212531"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
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  }, {
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    "url" : "https://support.apple.com/kb/HT212529"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20210226-0002"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2021/02/msg00005.html"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/rf4c02775860db415b4955778a131c2795223f61cb8c6a450893651e4@%3Cissues.bookkeeper.apache.org%3E"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/rf4c02775860db415b4955778a131c2795223f61cb8c6a450893651e4%40%3Cissues.bookkeeper.apache.org%3E"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/r58af02e294bd07f487e2c64ffc0a29b837db5600e33b6e698b9d696b@%3Cissues.bookkeeper.apache.org%3E"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://lists.apache.org/thread.html/r58af02e294bd07f487e2c64ffc0a29b837db5600e33b6e698b9d696b%40%3Cissues.bookkeeper.apache.org%3E"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://git.openldap.org/openldap/openldap/-/tags/OPENLDAP_REL_ENG_2_4_57"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://git.openldap.org/openldap/openldap/-/commit/d169e7958a3e0dc70f59c8374bf8a59833b7bdd8"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://git.openldap.org/openldap/openldap/-/commit/c0b61a9486508e5202aa2e0cfb68c9813731b439"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://git.openldap.org/openldap/openldap/-/commit/5a2017d4e61a6ddc4dcb4415028e0d08eb6bca26"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://git.openldap.org/openldap/openldap/-/commit/554dff1927176579d652f2fe60c90e9abbad4c65"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/html/ssa-398330.html"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://bugs.openldap.org/show_bug.cgi?id=9409"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "http://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2021/May/64"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "http://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2021/May/65"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "http://seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2021/May/70"
  } ],
  "database_specific" : {
    "cwe_ids" : [ "CWE-763" ],
    "severity" : "HIGH",
    "github_reviewed" : false,
    "github_reviewed_at" : null,
    "nvd_published_at" : "2021-01-26T18:15:00Z"
  }
}