CVE-2020-8013

Local privilege escalation via final-component symlink following

Published Mar 2, 2020 · Updated Sep 16, 2024

Symlink following in chkstat on SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 11, 12, and 15 allows local users to gain unintended file privileges. chkstat follows a symlink in the final path element and applies setuid bits or capabilities intended for mrsh or wodim to the link target. Exploitation requires a nondefault system where a local user can control the relevant symlink; default installations prevent that control.

CVSS severity2.2
Low
EPSS probability0.32%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Symlink following in chkstat on SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 11, 12, and 15 allows local users to gain unintended file privileges. chkstat follows a symlink in the final path element and applies setuid bits or capabilities intended for mrsh or wodim to the link target. Exploitation requires a nondefault system where a local user can control the relevant symlink; default installations prevent that control.

The record

CVE
CVE-2020-8013
Published
Mar 2, 2020
Updated
Sep 16, 2024
Vendor
SUSE
Product
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server
Classifications
CWE-59, T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Mar 2, 2020CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Sep 16, 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=permissions <2013.1.7-0.6.12.1
  2. Affected versionversion=permissions <2015.09.28.1626-17.27.1
  3. Affected versionversion=permissions <20181116-9.23.1

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

SUSE · SUSE Linux Enterprise Serverversion=permissions <2013.1.7-0.6.12.1; version=permissions <2015.09.28.1626-17.27.1; version=permissions <20181116-9.23.1

Published CVSS scores

2.2SUSECVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:N
1.9NIST NVDAV:L/AC:M/Au:N/C:N/I:P/A:N
2.5NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/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.

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-59Improper Link Resolution Before File Access ('Link 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

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Your stack

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