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CVE-2020-15703

aptdaemon allows unprivileged users to test for the presence of local files via the transaction Locale property

4.0 MediumFix available

There is no input validation on the Locale property in an apt transaction. An unprivileged user can supply a full path to a writable directory, which lets aptd read a file as root. Having a symlink in place results in an error message if the file exists, and no error otherwise. This way an unprivileged user can check for the existence of any files on the system as root.

Attack profile

How easy it is to exploit

Attack vector
Local
Complexity
Low
Privileges needed
None
User interaction
None

What an attacker can affect

Confidentiality
Low
Integrity
None
Availability
None

Exploit likelihood

0.49%Down 0.1 points since Apr 14, 2021
90%50%10%1%

What each source reports

CVE List Score used 4.0

aptdaemon allows unprivileged users to test for the presence of local files via the transaction Locale property

There is no input validation on the Locale property in an apt transaction. An unprivileged user can supply a full path to a writable directory, which lets aptd read a file as root. Having a symlink in place results in an error message if the file exists, and no error otherwise. This way an unprivileged user can check for the existence of any files on the system as root.

Record
CVE-2020-15703
CVSS 3.1
4.0 MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N
Weakness
CWE-22
Updated
2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2022-5615 4.0

There is no input validation on the Locale property in an apt transaction. An unprivileged user can supply a full path to a writable directory, which lets aptd read a file as root. Having a symlink in place results in an error message if the file exists, and no error otherwise. This way an unprivileged user can check for the existence of any files on the system as root.

Record
EUVD-2022-5615
CVSS 3.1
4.0 MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N
Updated
2026-11-03
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-wpmr-q825-x4c6 4.0

aptdaemon Information Disclosure via Improper Input Validation in Transaction class

There is no input validation on the Locale property in an apt transaction. An unprivileged user can supply a full path to a writable directory, which lets aptd read a file as root. Having a symlink in place results in an error message if the file exists, and no error otherwise. This way an unprivileged user can check for the existence of any files on the system as root.

Record
GHSA-wpmr-q825-x4c6
CVSS 3.1
4.0 MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N
Weakness
CWE-200
Updated
2026-11-02
NVD 4.0

There is no input validation on the Locale property in an apt transaction. An unprivileged user can supply a full path to a writable directory, which lets aptd read a file as root. Having a symlink in place results in an error message if the file exists, and no error otherwise. This way an unprivileged user can check for the existence of any files on the system as root.

Record
CVE-2020-15703
CVSS 3.1
4.0 MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N
CVSS 3.1
3.3 LowCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N
CVSS 2.0
2.1 LowAV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:N/A:N
Weakness
CWE-22
Updated
2026-11-02
OSVGHSA-wpmr-q825-x4c6 4.0

aptdaemon Information Disclosure via Improper Input Validation in Transaction class

There is no input validation on the Locale property in an apt transaction. An unprivileged user can supply a full path to a writable directory, which lets aptd read a file as root. Having a symlink in place results in an error message if the file exists, and no error otherwise. This way an unprivileged user can check for the existence of any files on the system as root.

Record
GHSA-wpmr-q825-x4c6
CVSS 3.1
4.0 MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N
Weakness
CWE-200
Updated
2026-11-02
OSVPYSEC-2026-783 4.0

aptdaemon Information Disclosure via Improper Input Validation in Transaction class

There is no input validation on the Locale property in an apt transaction. An unprivileged user can supply a full path to a writable directory, which lets aptd read a file as root. Having a symlink in place results in an error message if the file exists, and no error otherwise. This way an unprivileged user can check for the existence of any files on the system as root.

Record
PYSEC-2026-783
CVSS 3.1
4.0 MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N
Updated
2026-11-02
OSVUBUNTU-CVE-2020-15703 4.0

There is no input validation on the Locale property in an apt transaction. An unprivileged user can supply a full path to a writable directory, which lets aptd read a file as root. Having a symlink in place results in an error message if the file exists, and no error otherwise. This way an unprivileged user can check for the existence of any files on the system as root.

Record
UBUNTU-CVE-2020-15703
CVSS 3.1
4.0 MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N
CVSS 3.1
3.3 LowCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N
Updated
2026-11-02
OSVUSN-4537-1 No score

aptdaemon vulnerability

Vaisha Bernard discovered that Aptdaemon incorrectly handled the Locale property. A local attacker could use this issue to test for the presence of local files.

Record
USN-4537-1
Updated
2026-11-02

Affected products

Affected packages

Affected packages
PackageAffectedFixed
aptdaemon
PyPI
before 1.1.1
1.1.1
aptdaemon
PyPI
before 1.1.1, plus listed versions
0.3X0.401.01.1trunk
1.1.1
aptdaemon
Ubuntu:16.04:LTS
before 1.1.1+bzr982-0ubuntu14.4, plus listed versions
1.1.1+bzr982-0ubuntu141.1.1+bzr982-0ubuntu14.11.1.1+bzr982-0ubuntu14.21.1.1+bzr982-0ubuntu14.3
1.1.1+bzr982-0ubuntu14.4
aptdaemon
Ubuntu:18.04:LTS
before 1.1.1+bzr982-0ubuntu19.4, plus listed versions
1.1.1+bzr982-0ubuntu171.1.1+bzr982-0ubuntu191.1.1+bzr982-0ubuntu19.11.1.1+bzr982-0ubuntu19.21.1.1+bzr982-0ubuntu19.3
1.1.1+bzr982-0ubuntu19.4
aptdaemon
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS
before 1.1.1+bzr982-0ubuntu32.2, plus listed versions
1.1.1+bzr982-0ubuntu281.1.1+bzr982-0ubuntu301.1.1+bzr982-0ubuntu311.1.1+bzr982-0ubuntu321.1.1+bzr982-0ubuntu32.1
1.1.1+bzr982-0ubuntu32.2

History

History
RecordedChangedSources
aliasesEUVD
first indexedCVE List, GitHub Advisories, NVD, OSV

Dates are when Every CVE recorded each change. Upstream dates may differ.

In short

CVE-2020-15703 is a medium vulnerability (CVSS 4.0) in Aptdaemon Project Aptdaemon, published September 24, 2020. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 0.49%, the 42nd percentile. Fixed in aptdaemon 1.1.1.

References

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