CVE-2020-36229 — A flaw was discovered in ldap_X509dn2bv in OpenLDAP before 2.4.57 leading to a slapd crash in the...
A flaw was discovered in ldap_X509dn2bv in OpenLDAP before 2.4.57 leading to a slapd crash in the X.509 DN parsing in ad_keystring, resulting in denial of service.
Who exploits it and how urgent it is
A 0–100 score combining confirmed exploitation, ransomware and APT use, public exploits, EPSS and severity.
How the score was calculated
- EPSS 4.3% (30-day exploitation probability)+14
- Technical severity (high)+6
The score orders the patch queue; it does not replace your asset context (internet exposure, criticality, compensating controls).
Triage
Is it exploited, how likely is exploitation, what does it touch, and how severe do the sources call it.
Remediation
Fixes and mitigations documented by the sources — linked to the original advisory.
- Documented patch — git.openldap.org (NIST National Vulnerability Database)
First 24 hours
Ordered from the record’s own fields — exposure first, because you cannot patch what you have not found. A rule-generated starting point.
- Identify exposed assets running the affected vendor/product/version combinations (Apple Mac Os X, Apple Macos, Debian Debian Linux…).
- The attack is network-based and needs no privileges: restrict exposure (ACLs, VPN, WAF) until patched.
- Apply the fixed version or the patch documented under Remediation.
- EPSS ahead of 91% of scored CVEs: prioritize it in the patch queue.
- Search available logs for exploit probes matching the vulnerability class (memory corruption), errors and authentication anomalies.
Affected scope
Vendor, product and versions as the sources word them.
| Vendor | Product | Versions | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apple | Mac Os X |
version 10.14.6-security_update_2020-002version 10.14.6-supplemental_updateversion 10.14.6-security_update_2021-003version 10.14.6-security_update_2021-002version 10.14.6-security_update_2021-001version 10.14.6-security_update_2020-007version 10.14.6-security_update_2020-006version 10.14.6-security_update_2020-005 and 10 moreversion 10.14.6-security_update_2020-004version 10.14.6-security_update_2020-003version 10.14.6-security_update_2020-001version 10.14.6-security_update_2019-007version 10.14.6-security_update_2019-006version 10.14.6-security_update_2019-005version 10.14.6-security_update_2019-004version 10.14.6≥ 10.14.0 and < 10.14.6version 10.14.6-supplemental_update_2 |
Vulnerable | NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| Apple | Macos | ≥ 11.1 and < 11.4 | Vulnerable | NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| Debian | Debian Linux | version 10.0version 9.0 | Vulnerable | NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| Openldap | OpenLDAP | < 2.4.57 | Vulnerable | NIST National Vulnerability Database |
Attack characteristics
The CVSS vector, decoded. It describes the attack, not your exposure to it.
Every base score collected
Sources score independently and may disagree; each row says who scored it and under which version.
| Score | Version | Severity | Expl. | Impact | Scored by |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7.5 | CVSS 3.1 | High | 3.9 | 3.6 | nvd@nist.gov via NIST National Vulnerability Database |
| 7.5 | CVSS 3.1 | High | — | — | GitHub, Inc. via GitHub Security Advisories |
| 5.0 | CVSS 2.0 | Medium | 10.0 | 2.9 | nvd@nist.gov via NIST National Vulnerability Database |
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H (score shown at the top: nvd@nist.gov) Weakness MITRE
Weakness class according to MITRE’s CWE catalog.
EPSS over time FIRST
Oct 13, 2026 → Oct 14, 2026 · 2 reading(s) · max 4.30%
Detection
Read off the CVSS vector and the weakness class. Starting points, not tested rules.
- Prioritize edge telemetry for the network-reachable component (proxy, WAF, IDS/IPS).
- Correlate service crashes/restarts with inbound traffic; repeated crashes may indicate attempts.
Timeline
What happened to this CVE, newest first.
- 2026
- Record published
- Fix documented
- Affected products added · openldap/openldap, debian/debian linux, apple/mac os x, apple/macos
- CVSS changed · 7.5
- Source status changed · → Modified
- Record created in this database
- 2021
- CVE published
Source activity
Repeated readings are counted rather than listed.
- 2× References added · Oct 14, 2026 – Oct 14, 2026
- 1× Official description updated · Oct 14, 2026 – Oct 14, 2026
References
19 on the record
- bugs.openldap.org/show_bug.cgi
- git.openldap.org/openldap/openldap/-/tags/OPENLDAP_REL_ENG_2_4_57
- git.openldap.org/openldap/openldap/-/commit/4bdfffd2889c0c5cdf58bebafbdc8fce4bb2bff0
- support.apple.com/kb/HT212529
- lists.apache.org/thread.html/r58af02e294bd07f487e2c64ffc0a29b837db5600e33b6e698b9d696b
- security.netapp.com/advisory/ntap-20210226-0002/
- seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2021/May/70
- lists.apache.org/thread.html/rf4c02775860db415b4955778a131c2795223f61cb8c6a450893651e4
- support.apple.com/kb/HT212530
- lists.apache.org/thread.html/r58af02e294bd07f487e2c64ffc0a29b837db5600e33b6e698b9d696b
- www.debian.org/security/2021/dsa-4845
- seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2021/May/64
- lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2021/02/msg00005.html
- seclists.org/fulldisclosure/2021/May/65
- github.com/advisories/GHSA-2vm8-9q6f-6vxg
- cert-portal.siemens.com/productcert/html/ssa-398330.html
- nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-36229
- support.apple.com/kb/HT212531
- lists.apache.org/thread.html/rf4c02775860db415b4955778a131c2795223f61cb8c6a450893651e4
Elsewhere on this site
Related CVEs (same products)
- High CVE-2026-86950 Apple Multiple Products Out-of-Bounds Write Vulnerability KEV 17d
- Critical CVE-2026-65400 Apple macOS Improper Authentication Vulnerability KEV Aug 6, 2026
- High CVE-2026-12996 A use-after-free in OpenVPN 2.6.0 through 2.6.20 and 2.7_alpha1 through 2.7.4 allows remote... Jul 30, 2026
- Medium CVE-2026-14355 ext/openssl: Memory corruption in openssl_encrypt with AES-WRAP-PAD Jul 3, 2026
- High CVE-2026-43731 Use After Free in Apple Safari Jun 29, 2026
- Medium CVE-2026-43740 Buffer Errors (Improper Restriction of Operations within Memory Bounds) in Apple Safari Jun 29, 2026
Not in any source we poll
Listed rather than left blank: an empty field and an unmeasured one look identical on screen, and only one is a reason to look elsewhere.
- No CISA SSVC assessment.
- No confirmed IOCs, IP addresses, domains, file hashes, or malware artifacts supplied.
- No organization-specific asset inventory, compensating-control status, or patch deployment evidence supplied.
- No exploit packet captures, log samples, or incident case IDs supplied.
Answered from this record
Text assembled only from the fields above — no additional claims.
What should defenders know first?
CVE-2020-36229 is "A flaw was discovered in ldap_X509dn2bv in OpenLDAP before 2.4.57 leading to a slapd crash in the...", rated High. It affects Mac Os X (Apple); versions are in the scope table. It is not in CISA KEV, which does not rule out exploitation. CVSS 7.5 describes technical severity. EPSS 4.30% estimates the probability of exploitation in 30 days; neither replaces your asset context. First verify whether exposed or business-critical assets run the affected versions, apply vendor fixes or mitigations, and preserve logs for review.
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