#VU111389 Improper access control in linux-pam - CVE-2025-6020

Vulnerability identifier: #VU111389

Vulnerability risk: Low

CVSSv4.0: 5.9 [CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:U/U:Clear]

CVE-ID: CVE-2025-6020

CWE-ID: CWE-284

Exploitation vector: Local

Exploit availability: No

Vulnerable software:
linux-pam
Other software / Other software solutions

Vendor: git.kernel.org

Description

The vulnerability allows a local user to escalate privileges on the system.

The vulnerability exists due to improper access restrictions within the pam_namespace module when handling user-controlled paths. A local user can use specially crafted symlinks and race conditions to execute arbitrary code as root. 

Mitigation
Install updates from vendor's website.

Vulnerable software versions

linux-pam: 0.99.1.0 - 1.7.0

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External links
https://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2025/06/17/1
https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=2372512

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Q & A

Can this vulnerability be exploited remotely?

No. This vulnerability can be exploited locally. The attacker should have authentication credentials and successfully authenticate on the system.

Is there known malware, which exploits this vulnerability?

No. We are not aware of malware exploiting this vulnerability.