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Linux Distros Unpatched Vulnerability : CVE-2020-16120

🗓️ 06 Aug 2025 00:00:00Reported by TenableType 
nessus
 nessus
🔗 www.tenable.com👁 1 Views

Linux host has unpatched vulnerability CVE-2020-16120 affecting Overlayfs permission checks.

Related
Refs
Code
ReporterTitlePublishedViews
Family
CBLMariner
CVE-2020-16120 affecting package kernel 5.10.189.1-1
9 Sep 202115:03
cbl_mariner
CBLMariner
CVE-2020-16120 affecting package kernel for versions less than 5.10.78.1-1
9 Apr 202206:52
cbl_mariner
Cloud Foundry
USN-4578-1: Linux kernel vulnerabilities | Cloud Foundry
19 Nov 202000:00
cloudfoundry
Circl
CVE-2020-16120
8 Jul 202507:10
circl
CVE
CVE-2020-16120
10 Feb 202119:45
cve
Cvelist
CVE-2020-16120 Unprivileged overlay + shiftfs read access
10 Feb 202119:45
cvelist
Debian CVE
CVE-2020-16120
10 Feb 202119:45
debiancve
Oracle linux
Unbreakable Enterprise kernel security update
12 Mar 202100:00
oraclelinux
Oracle linux
Unbreakable Enterprise kernel security update
11 Mar 202100:00
oraclelinux
Oracle linux
Unbreakable Enterprise kernel-container security update
9 Mar 202100:00
oraclelinux
Rows per page
#%NASL_MIN_LEVEL 80900
##
# (C) Tenable, Inc.
##

include('compat.inc');

if (description)
{
  script_id(244310);
  script_version("1.9");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"plugin_modification_date", value:"2026/05/21");

  script_cve_id("CVE-2020-16120");

  script_name(english:"Linux Distros Unpatched Vulnerability : CVE-2020-16120");

  script_set_attribute(attribute:"synopsis", value:
"The Linux/Unix host has one or more packages installed with a vulnerability that the vendor indicates will not be
patched.");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"description", value:
"The Linux/Unix host has one or more packages installed that are impacted by a vulnerability without a vendor supplied
patch available.

  - Overlayfs did not properly perform permission checking when copying up files in an overlayfs and could be
    exploited from within a user namespace, if, for example, unprivileged user namespaces were allowed. It was
    possible to have a file not readable by an unprivileged user to be copied to a mountpoint controlled by
    the user, like a removable device. This was introduced in kernel version 4.19 by commit d1d04ef (ovl:
    stack file ops). This was fixed in kernel version 5.8 by commits 56230d9 (ovl: verify permissions in
    ovl_path_open()), 48bd024 (ovl: switch to mounter creds in readdir) and 05acefb (ovl: check permission
    to open real file). Additionally, commits 130fdbc (ovl: pass correct flags for opening real directory)
    and 292f902 (ovl: call secutiry hook in ovl_real_ioctl()) in kernel 5.8 might also be desired or
    necessary. These additional commits introduced a regression in overlay mounts within user namespaces which
    prevented access to files with ownership outside of the user namespace. This regression was mitigated by
    subsequent commit b6650da (ovl: do not fail because of O_NOATIMEi) in kernel 5.11. (CVE-2020-16120)

Note that Nessus relies on the presence of the package as reported by the vendor.");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"see_also", value:"https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2020-16120");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"solution", value:
"There is no known solution at this time.");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"agent", value:"unix");
  script_set_cvss_base_vector("CVSS2#AV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:N/A:N");
  script_set_cvss_temporal_vector("CVSS2#E:U/RL:U/RC:C");
  script_set_cvss3_base_vector("CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N");
  script_set_cvss3_temporal_vector("CVSS:3.0/E:U/RL:U/RC:C");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cvss_score_source", value:"CVE-2020-16120");

  script_set_attribute(attribute:"exploitability_ease", value:"No known exploits are available");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"exploit_available", value:"false");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"vendor_unpatched", value:"true");

  script_set_attribute(attribute:"vuln_publication_date", value:"2020/10/13");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"plugin_publication_date", value:"2025/08/06");

  script_set_attribute(attribute:"plugin_type", value:"local");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"cpe:/o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:14.04:-:lts");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"cpe:/o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:16.04:-:lts");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"cpe:/o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:18.04:-:lts");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"cpe:/o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:20.04:-:lts");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"cpe:/o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:22.04:-:lts");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"cpe:/o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:24.04:-:lts");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"p-cpe:/a:canonical:ubuntu_linux:linux");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"p-cpe:/a:canonical:ubuntu_linux:linux-aws");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"p-cpe:/a:canonical:ubuntu_linux:linux-aws-5.0");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"p-cpe:/a:canonical:ubuntu_linux:linux-aws-5.3");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"p-cpe:/a:canonical:ubuntu_linux:linux-azure");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"p-cpe:/a:canonical:ubuntu_linux:linux-azure-5.3");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"p-cpe:/a:canonical:ubuntu_linux:linux-azure-edge");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"p-cpe:/a:canonical:ubuntu_linux:linux-azure-fde");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"p-cpe:/a:canonical:ubuntu_linux:linux-azure-fde-5.15");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"p-cpe:/a:canonical:ubuntu_linux:linux-gcp");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"p-cpe:/a:canonical:ubuntu_linux:linux-gcp-5.3");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"p-cpe:/a:canonical:ubuntu_linux:linux-gcp-edge");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"p-cpe:/a:canonical:ubuntu_linux:linux-gke");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"p-cpe:/a:canonical:ubuntu_linux:linux-hwe-edge");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"p-cpe:/a:canonical:ubuntu_linux:linux-intel-iot-realtime");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"p-cpe:/a:canonical:ubuntu_linux:linux-kvm");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"p-cpe:/a:canonical:ubuntu_linux:linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.2");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"p-cpe:/a:canonical:ubuntu_linux:linux-lts-xenial");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"p-cpe:/a:canonical:ubuntu_linux:linux-oracle-5.0");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"p-cpe:/a:canonical:ubuntu_linux:linux-oracle-5.3");
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  script_category(ACT_GATHER_INFO);
  script_family(english:"Misc.");

  script_copyright(english:"This script is Copyright (C) 2025-2026 and is owned by Tenable, Inc. or an Affiliate thereof.");

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  script_require_keys("Host/cpu", "Host/local_checks_enabled", "global_settings/vendor_unpatched", "Host/OS/identifier");
  script_require_ports("Host/OS/Ubuntu Linux-14.04", "Host/OS/Ubuntu Linux-16.04", "Host/OS/Ubuntu Linux-18.04", "Host/OS/Ubuntu Linux-20.04", "Host/OS/Ubuntu Linux-22.04", "Host/OS/Ubuntu Linux-24.04");

  exit(0);
}

if (!get_kb_item("global_settings/vendor_unpatched")) exit(0, "Unpatched Vulnerabilities Detection not active.");
if (!get_kb_item("Host/local_checks_enabled")) audit(AUDIT_LOCAL_CHECKS_NOT_ENABLED);
if (empty_or_null(get_one_kb_item("Host/Debian/dpkg-l"))) audit(AUDIT_PACKAGE_LIST_MISSING);

include('linux_unpatched.inc');

var distro_constraints_array = {
  "Ubuntu Linux-14.04": {
    "package_manager": "dpkg-l",
    "constraints": [
      {
        "release": "14.04",
        "pkgs": [
          {"reference": "linux-aws"},
          {"reference": "linux-cloud-tools-3.13.0"},
          {"reference": "linux-cloud-tools-common"},
          {"reference": "linux-doc"},
          {"reference": "linux-headers-3.13.0"},
          {"reference": "linux-image-3.13.0"},
          {"reference": "linux-image-extra-3.13.0"},
          {"reference": "linux-libc-dev"},
          {"reference": "linux-lts-xenial"},
          {"reference": "linux-source-3.13.0"},
          {"reference": "linux-tools-3.13.0"},
          {"reference": "linux-tools-common"},
          {"reference": "linux-udebs-generic"},
          {"reference": "linux-udebs-generic-lpae"},
          {"reference": "linux-udebs-lowlatency"}
        ]
      }
    ]
  },
  "Ubuntu Linux-16.04": {
    "package_manager": "dpkg-l",
    "constraints": [
      {
        "release": "16.04",
        "pkgs": [
          {"reference": "linux-aws"},
          {"reference": "linux-cloud-tools-4.4.0"},
          {"reference": "linux-cloud-tools-common"},
          {"reference": "linux-doc"},
          {"reference": "linux-headers-4.4.0"},
          {"reference": "linux-hwe-edge"},
          {"reference": "linux-image-4.4.0"},
          {"reference": "linux-image-extra-4.4.0"},
          {"reference": "linux-kvm"},
          {"reference": "linux-libc-dev"},
          {"reference": "linux-source-4.4.0"},
          {"reference": "linux-tools-4.4.0"},
          {"reference": "linux-tools-common"},
          {"reference": "linux-udebs-generic"},
          {"reference": "linux-udebs-generic-lpae"},
          {"reference": "linux-udebs-lowlatency"}
        ]
      }
    ]
  },
  "Ubuntu Linux-18.04": {
    "package_manager": "dpkg-l",
    "constraints": [
      {
        "release": "18.04",
        "pkgs": [
          {"reference": "linux-aws-5.0"},
          {"reference": "linux-aws-5.3"},
          {"reference": "linux-azure-5.3"},
          {"reference": "linux-azure-cloud-tools-4.15.0"},
          {"reference": "linux-azure-edge"},
          {"reference": "linux-azure-headers-4.15.0"},
          {"reference": "linux-azure-tools-4.15.0"},
          {"reference": "linux-cloud-tools-4.15.0"},
          {"reference": "linux-gcp-5.3"},
          {"reference": "linux-gcp-edge"},
          {"reference": "linux-gcp-headers-4.15.0"},
          {"reference": "linux-gcp-tools-4.15.0"},
          {"reference": "linux-headers-4.15.0"},
          {"reference": "linux-hwe-edge"},
          {"reference": "linux-image-4.15.0"},
          {"reference": "linux-image-unsigned-4.15.0"},
          {"reference": "linux-modules-4.15.0"},
          {"reference": "linux-modules-extra-4.15.0"},
          {"reference": "linux-oracle-5.0"},
          {"reference": "linux-oracle-5.3"},
          {"reference": "linux-tools-4.15.0"},
          {"reference": "linux-udebs-azure"}
        ]
      }
    ]
  },
  "Ubuntu Linux-20.04": {
    "package_manager": "dpkg-l",
    "constraints": [
      {
        "release": "20.04",
        "pkgs": [
          {"reference": "linux-azure-fde"},
          {"reference": "linux-azure-fde-5.15"},
          {"reference": "linux-gke"},
          {"reference": "linux-raspi2"}
        ]
      }
    ]
  },
  "Ubuntu Linux-22.04": {
    "package_manager": "dpkg-l",
    "constraints": [
      {
        "release": "22.04",
        "pkgs": [
          {"reference": "linux-buildinfo-5.15.0"},
          {"reference": "linux-cloud-tools-5.15.0"},
          {"reference": "linux-headers-5.15.0"},
          {"reference": "linux-image-5.15.0"},
          {"reference": "linux-intel-iot-realtime"},
          {"reference": "linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.2"},
          {"reference": "linux-modules-5.15.0"},
          {"reference": "linux-modules-extra-5.15.0"},
          {"reference": "linux-realtime"},
          {"reference": "linux-riscv-headers-5.15.0"},
          {"reference": "linux-riscv-tools-5.15.0"},
          {"reference": "linux-tools-5.15.0"}
        ]
      }
    ]
  },
  "Ubuntu Linux-24.04": {
    "package_manager": "dpkg-l",
    "constraints": [
      {
        "release": "24.04",
        "pkgs": [
          {"reference": "linux-raspi-realtime"}
        ]
      }
    ]
  }
};

var distro_constraints_values = linux_unpatched::get_distro_constraints(distro_constraints_arr:distro_constraints_array);
if (empty_or_null(distro_constraints_values)) audit(AUDIT_HOST_NOT, 'affected');
var report = linux_unpatched::check_unpatched_constraints(distro_constraints_values:distro_constraints_values);

if (!empty_or_null(report))
{
  security_report_v4(
      port       : 0,
      severity   : SECURITY_NOTE,
      extra      : report
  );
  exit(0);
}
else
{
  audit(AUDIT_HOST_NOT, 'affected');
}

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21 May 2026 00:00Current
6.8Medium risk
Vulners AI Score6.8
CVSS 22.1
CVSS 3.14.4 - 5.1
EPSS0.00063
1