CVE-2020-8022

Root escalation via group-writable tmpfiles configuration

Published Jun 29, 2020 · Updated Sep 17, 2024

Incorrect default permissions in SUSE-packaged Tomcat allow local users in the tomcat group to gain root privileges. The /usr/lib/tmpfiles.d/tomcat.conf file is group-writable, letting tomcat-group members alter directives that systemd-tmpfiles processes as root. Exploitation requires local tomcat-group membership and grants control over root-level filesystem operations, with resulting access to protected data and services.

CVSS severity7.0
High
EPSS probability0.86%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Incorrect default permissions in SUSE-packaged Tomcat allow local users in the tomcat group to gain root privileges. The /usr/lib/tmpfiles.d/tomcat.conf file is group-writable, letting tomcat-group members alter directives that systemd-tmpfiles processes as root. Exploitation requires local tomcat-group membership and grants control over root-level filesystem operations, with resulting access to protected data and services.

The record

CVE
CVE-2020-8022
Published
Jun 29, 2020
Updated
Sep 17, 2024
Vendor
SUSE
Product
SUSE Linux Enterprise Server Long Term Service Pack Support
Classifications
CWE-276, 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=tomcat <8.0.53-29.32.1
  2. Affected versionversion=tomcat <9.0.35-3.57.3

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

SUSE · SUSE Linux Enterprise Server Long Term Service Pack Supportversion=tomcat <8.0.53-29.32.1; version=tomcat <9.0.35-3.57.3
SUSE · SUSE Enterprise Storageversion=tomcat <8.0.53-29.32.1
SUSE · SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applicationsversion=tomcat <8.0.53-29.32.1; version=tomcat <9.0.35-3.57.3
SUSE · SUSE Linux Enterprise Serverversion=tomcat <9.0.35-3.39.1
SUSE · SUSE OpenStack Cloudversion=tomcat <8.0.53-29.32.1
SUSE · SUSE OpenStack Cloud Crowbarversion=tomcat <8.0.53-29.32.1
SUSE · SUSE Linux Enterprise Server BCLversion=tomcat <8.0.53-29.32.1

Published CVSS scores

7.8NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
7.0SUSECVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/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.

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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-276Incorrect Default Permissions
T1068Exploitation for Privilege Escalation

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

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Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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