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Linux Distros Unpatched Vulnerability : CVE-2025-68146

🗓️ 16 Dec 2025 00:00:00Reported by TenableType 
nessus
 nessus
🔗 www.tenable.com

Filelock before 3.20.1 on Linux and Unix allows symlink tricks to truncate files; upgrade to 3.20.1.

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#%NASL_MIN_LEVEL 80900
##
# (C) Tenable, Inc.
##

include('compat.inc');

if (description)
{
  script_id(278912);
  script_version("1.11");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"plugin_modification_date", value:"2026/06/03");

  script_cve_id("CVE-2025-68146");

  script_name(english:"Linux Distros Unpatched Vulnerability : CVE-2025-68146");

  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.

  - filelock is a platform-independent file lock for Python. In versions prior to 3.20.1, a Time-of-Check-
    Time-of-Use (TOCTOU) race condition allows local attackers to corrupt or truncate arbitrary user files
    through symlink attacks. The vulnerability exists in both Unix and Windows lock file creation where
    filelock checks if a file exists before opening it with O_TRUNC. An attacker can create a symlink pointing
    to a victim file in the time gap between the check and open, causing os.open() to follow the symlink and
    truncate the target file. All users of filelock on Unix, Linux, macOS, and Windows systems are impacted.
    The vulnerability cascades to dependent libraries. The attack requires local filesystem access and ability
    to create symlinks (standard user permissions on Unix; Developer Mode on Windows 10+). Exploitation
    succeeds within 1-3 attempts when lock file paths are predictable. The issue is fixed in version 3.20.1.
    If immediate upgrade is not possible, use SoftFileLock instead of UnixFileLock/WindowsFileLock (note:
    different locking semantics, may not be suitable for all use cases); ensure lock file directories have
    restrictive permissions (chmod 0700) to prevent untrusted users from creating symlinks; and/or monitor
    lock file directories for suspicious symlinks before running trusted applications. These workarounds
    provide only partial mitigation. The race condition remains exploitable. Upgrading to version 3.20.1 is
    strongly recommended. (CVE-2025-68146)

Note that Nessus relies on the presence of the package as reported by the vendor.");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"see_also", value:"https://security-tracker.debian.org/tracker/CVE-2025-68146");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"see_also", value:"https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2025-68146");
  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:M/Au:N/C:C/I:P/A:N");
  script_set_cvss_temporal_vector("CVSS2#E:POC/RL:U/RC:C");
  script_set_cvss3_base_vector("CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:H/A:H");
  script_set_cvss3_temporal_vector("CVSS:3.0/E:P/RL:U/RC:C");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cvss_score_source", value:"CVE-2025-68146");

  script_set_attribute(attribute:"exploitability_ease", value:"Exploits are available");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"exploit_available", value:"true");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"vendor_unpatched", value:"true");

  script_set_attribute(attribute:"vuln_publication_date", value:"2025/12/16");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"plugin_publication_date", value:"2025/12/16");

  script_set_attribute(attribute:"plugin_type", value:"local");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"cpe:/o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:25.04");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"cpe:/o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:25.10");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"cpe:/o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:26.04:-:lts");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"cpe:/o:debian:debian_linux:11.0");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"cpe:/o:debian:debian_linux:12.0");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"p-cpe:/a:canonical:ubuntu_linux:python-filelock");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"p-cpe:/a:debian:debian_linux:python-filelock");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"generated_plugin", value:"current");
  script_end_attributes();

  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.");

  script_dependencies("ssh_get_info2.nasl", "set_linux_os_id.nasl");
  script_require_keys("Host/cpu", "Host/local_checks_enabled", "global_settings/vendor_unpatched", "Host/OS/identifier");
  script_require_ports("Host/OS/Debian Linux-11", "Host/OS/Debian Linux-12", "Host/OS/Ubuntu Linux-25.04", "Host/OS/Ubuntu Linux-25.10", "Host/OS/Ubuntu Linux-26.04");

  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 = {
  "Debian Linux-11": {
    "package_manager": "dpkg-l",
    "constraints": [
      {
        "release": "11",
        "pkgs": [
          {"reference": "python3-filelock"}
        ]
      }
    ]
  },
  "Debian Linux-12": {
    "package_manager": "dpkg-l",
    "constraints": [
      {
        "release": "12",
        "pkgs": [
          {"reference": "python3-filelock"}
        ]
      }
    ]
  },
  "Ubuntu Linux-25.04": {
    "package_manager": "dpkg-l",
    "constraints": [
      {
        "release": "25.04",
        "pkgs": [
          {"reference": "python-filelock"}
        ]
      }
    ]
  },
  "Ubuntu Linux-25.10": {
    "package_manager": "dpkg-l",
    "constraints": [
      {
        "release": "25.10",
        "pkgs": [
          {"reference": "python-filelock"}
        ]
      }
    ]
  },
  "Ubuntu Linux-26.04": {
    "package_manager": "dpkg-l",
    "constraints": [
      {
        "release": "26.04",
        "pkgs": [
          {"reference": "python-filelock"}
        ]
      }
    ]
  }
};

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_WARNING,
      extra      : report
  );
  exit(0);
}
else
{
  audit(AUDIT_HOST_NOT, 'affected');
}

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03 Jun 2026 00:00Current
5.9Medium risk
Vulners AI Score5.9
CVSS 3.16.3 - 6.5
EPSS0.00184
SSVC
0