--- title: "CVE-2020-5238\n | Ubuntu" description: Ubuntu is an open source software operating system that runs from the desktop, to the cloud, to all your internet connected things. url: https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2020-5238?format=md keywords: index, follow --- # CVE-2020-5238 Publication date 1 July 2020 Last updated 11 July 2025 --- Ubuntu priority **Low** [Why this priority?](https://ubuntu.com/security/cves/about#priority ) ## Cvss 3 Severity Score **6.5 · Medium** [Score breakdown](https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2020-5238?format=md#impact-score) Toggle side navigation ## Description The table extension in GitHub Flavored Markdown before version 0.29.0.gfm.1 takes O(n \* n) time to parse certain inputs. An attacker could craft a markdown table which would take an unreasonably long time to process, causing a denial of service. This issue does not affect the upstream cmark project. The issue has been fixed in version 0.29.0.gfm.1. ## Status Show unmaintained releases | Package | Ubuntu Release | Status | | --- | --- | --- | | python-cmarkgfm | 26.04 LTS resolute | Needs evaluation | | 25.10 questing | Ignored end of life, was needs-triage | | 25.04 plucky | Ignored end of life, was needs-triage | | 24.10 oracular | Ignored end of life, was needs-triage | | 24.04 LTS noble | Needs evaluation | | 23.10 mantic | Ignored end of life, was needs-triage | | 23.04 lunar | Ignored end of life, was needs-triage | | 22.10 kinetic | Ignored end of life, was needs-triage | | 22.04 LTS jammy | Needs evaluation | | 21.10 impish | Ignored end of life | | 21.04 hirsute | Ignored end of life | | 20.10 groovy | Ignored end of life | | 20.04 LTS focal | Needs evaluation | | 18.04 LTS bionic | Not in release | | 16.04 LTS xenial | Not in release | | 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release | | ruby-commonmarker | 26.04 LTS resolute | Not affected | | 25.10 questing | Not affected | | 25.04 plucky | Not affected | | 24.10 oracular | Not affected | | 24.04 LTS noble | Not affected | | 23.10 mantic | Not affected | | 23.04 lunar | Not affected | | 22.10 kinetic | Not affected | | 22.04 LTS jammy | Not affected | | 21.10 impish | Not affected | | 21.04 hirsute | Not affected | | 20.10 groovy | Not affected | | 20.04 LTS focal | Needs evaluation | | 18.04 LTS bionic | Not in release | | 16.04 LTS xenial | Not in release | | 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release | | haskell-cmark-gfm | 26.04 LTS resolute | Needs evaluation | | 25.10 questing | Ignored end of life, was needs-triage | | 25.04 plucky | Ignored end of life, was needs-triage | | 24.10 oracular | Ignored end of life, was needs-triage | | 24.04 LTS noble | Needs evaluation | | 23.10 mantic | Ignored end of life, was needs-triage | | 23.04 lunar | Ignored end of life, was needs-triage | | 22.10 kinetic | Ignored end of life, was needs-triage | | 22.04 LTS jammy | Needs evaluation | | 21.10 impish | Ignored end of life | | 21.04 hirsute | Ignored end of life | | 20.10 groovy | Ignored end of life | | 20.04 LTS focal | Needs evaluation | | 18.04 LTS bionic | Not in release | | 16.04 LTS xenial | Not in release | | 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release | | r-cran-commonmark | 26.04 LTS resolute | Needs evaluation | | 25.10 questing | Ignored end of life, was needs-triage | | 25.04 plucky | Ignored end of life, was needs-triage | | 24.10 oracular | Ignored end of life, was needs-triage | | 24.04 LTS noble | Needs evaluation | | 23.10 mantic | Ignored end of life, was needs-triage | | 23.04 lunar | Ignored end of life, was needs-triage | | 22.10 kinetic | Ignored end of life, was needs-triage | | 22.04 LTS jammy | Needs evaluation | | 21.10 impish | Ignored end of life | | 21.04 hirsute | Ignored end of life | | 20.10 groovy | Ignored end of life | | 20.04 LTS focal | Needs evaluation | | 18.04 LTS bionic | Not in release | | 16.04 LTS xenial | Not in release | | 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release | | cmark-gfm | 26.04 LTS resolute | Not affected | | 25.10 questing | Not affected | | 25.04 plucky | Not affected | | 24.10 oracular | Not affected | | 24.04 LTS noble | Not affected | | 23.10 mantic | Ignored end of life, was needs-triage | | 23.04 lunar | Ignored end of life, was needs-triage | | 22.10 kinetic | Ignored end of life, was needs-triage | | 22.04 LTS jammy | Not affected | | 21.10 impish | Ignored end of life | | 21.04 hirsute | Ignored end of life | | 20.10 groovy | Ignored end of life | | 20.04 LTS focal | Ignored end of standard support, was ignored [changes too instrusive] | | 18.04 LTS bionic | Not in release | | 16.04 LTS xenial | Not in release | | 14.04 LTS trusty | Not in release | --- * [How can I get the fixes?](https://ubuntu.com/security/cves/about#security) * [What do statuses mean?](https://ubuntu.com/security/cves/about#statuses) * [Patch details](https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2020-5238?format=md#patch-details) ### Patch details For informational purposes only. We recommend not to cherry-pick updates. [How can I get the fixes?](https://ubuntu.com/security/cves/about#security) | Package | Patch details | | --- | --- | | cmark-gfm | * Upstream: [85d8952](https://github.com/github/cmark-gfm/commit/85d895289c5ab67f988ca659493a64abb5fec7b4) | ## Severity score breakdown CVSS version: CVSS v3.0 **Base score** 6.5 · Medium * Base metrics | Parameter | Value | | --- | --- | | Attack vector | Network | | Attack complexity | Low | | Privileges required | Low | | User interaction | None | | Scope | Unchanged | | Confidentiality impact | None | | Integrity impact | None | | Availability impact | High | * Scores | Parameter | Value | | --- | --- | | Base score | 6.5 · Medium | | Exploitability score | - | | Impact score | - | **Vector:** CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H ## References * [MITRE](https://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2020-5238) * [NVD](https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-5238) * [Launchpad](https://launchpad.net/bugs/cve/CVE-2020-5238) * [Debian](https://security-tracker.debian.org/tracker/CVE-2020-5238) ### Other references * * *