CVE-2020-2656Public exploit

Sensitive-file disclosure via privileged xlock file loading

Published Jan 15, 2020 · Updated Sep 30, 2024

Information disclosure in Oracle Solaris 10 and 11 X Window System allows local users to read parts of sensitive files through xlock. The setuid-root xlock process retains root privileges and follows an attacker-controlled ~/.Xdefaults symlink, causing libX11 to open an arbitrary file and CheckResources() to print matching content. Exploitation requires a local account and a target file containing a specially formatted resource-like line; disclosed data can include a password hash.

CVSS severity4.4
Medium
EPSS probability0.56%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Information disclosure in Oracle Solaris 10 and 11 X Window System allows local users to read parts of sensitive files through xlock. The setuid-root xlock process retains root privileges and follows an attacker-controlled ~/.Xdefaults symlink, causing libX11 to open an arbitrary file and CheckResources() to print matching content. Exploitation requires a local account and a target file containing a specially formatted resource-like line; disclosed data can include a password hash.

The record

CVE
CVE-2020-2656
Published
Jan 15, 2020
Updated
Sep 30, 2024
Vendor
Oracle
Product
Oracle Solaris
Classifications
T1005
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jan 15, 2020CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Sep 30, 2024Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=10
  2. Affected versionversion=11

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Oracle · Oracle Solarisversion=10; version=11

Published CVSS scores

4.4OracleCVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:N
3.6NVDAV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:N
4.4NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:N

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.

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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 exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

T1005Data from Local System

Public exploit references

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

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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