CVE-2020-12878

Root escalation via symlinked chown

Published Feb 17, 2021 · Updated Aug 4, 2024

ConnectPort X2e before 3.2.30.6 allows local users to escalate from the python account to root on the device via a symlink attack. During boot, /etc/init.d/S50dropbear.sh runs chown on the python-writable /WEB/python/.ssh directory, allowing symbolic links to redirect ownership to /etc/init.d/ and enable a malicious root-executed init script. Exploitation requires file read/write access as python through SSH or a TTY and can compromise system behavior, install malware, or stage further attacks.

CVSS severity7.2
High
EPSS probability0.52%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
Coverage for this vulnerability

See if you're affected

Explore vulnerability checks for your environment with Hinoki.

Book a demo

Summary

What happened

ConnectPort X2e before 3.2.30.6 allows local users to escalate from the python account to root on the device via a symlink attack. During boot, /etc/init.d/S50dropbear.sh runs chown on the python-writable /WEB/python/.ssh directory, allowing symbolic links to redirect ownership to /etc/init.d/ and enable a malicious root-executed init script. Exploitation requires file read/write access as python through SSH or a TTY and can compromise system behavior, install malware, or stage further attacks.

The record

CVE
CVE-2020-12878
Published
Feb 17, 2021
Updated
Aug 4, 2024
Vendor
Unknown vendor
Product
Unknown product
Classifications
CWE-59, T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Feb 17, 2021CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 4, 2024Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

Compare your product and version with the public record. A matching version still requires validation against your environment.

Is a vulnerable build present?

Affected buildAffected product and version details are unavailable.

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Affected products and versions are unavailable in this record.

Published CVSS scores

7.2NVDAV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C
7.8NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-59Link Following
T1068Exploitation for Privilege Escalation

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

See the directory against your own environment.

Your stack

Check the software in your environment

Book a demo to see how Hinoki identifies affected software and validates exploitability in your environment.

Book a demo