CVE-2020-8019

Root escalation via symlink-following RPM post-install script

Published Jun 29, 2020 · Updated Sep 17, 2024

Symlink following in affected SUSE and openSUSE syslog-ng packages allows local users controlling news to gain root privileges. The RPM %post script creates news log files as root without rejecting symbolic links, so a crafted link redirects the privileged file operation. Exploitation requires local control of the news account and a package installation or update that executes the script; successful abuse grants root-level access.

CVSS severity7.7
High
EPSS probability0.52%
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 affected SUSE and openSUSE syslog-ng packages allows local users controlling news to gain root privileges. The RPM %post script creates news log files as root without rejecting symbolic links, so a crafted link redirects the privileged file operation. Exploitation requires local control of the news account and a package installation or update that executes the script; successful abuse grants root-level access.

The record

CVE
CVE-2020-8019
Published
Jun 29, 2020
Updated
Sep 17, 2024
Vendor
OpenSUSE
Product
openSUSE Leap
Classifications
CWE-61, T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jun 29, 2020CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Sep 17, 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=syslog-ng <3.19.1-lp151.3.6.1

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

OpenSUSE · openSUSE Leapversion=syslog-ng <3.19.1-lp151.3.6.1
SUSE · SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applicationsversion=syslog-ng <3.6.4-12.8.1
SUSE · SUSE Linux Enterprise Serverversion=syslog-ng <2.0.9-27.34.40.5.1
OpenSUSE · openSUSE Backports SLE-15-SP1version=syslog-ng <3.19.1-bp151.4.6.1

Published CVSS scores

7.8NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
7.7SUSECVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N
7.2NIST NVDAV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C

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 exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-61UNIX Symbolic Link (Symlink) 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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