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CVE-2020-8833

Apport race condition in crash report permissions

5.6 MediumFix available

CVE-2020-8833 is a medium vulnerability (CVSS 5.6) in Apport Project Apport, published April 2, 2020. No source lists public exploit code. EPSS puts the chance of exploitation in the next 30 days at 0.34%, the 27th percentile. Fixed in apport 2.14.1-0ubuntu3.29+esm4.

Time-of-check Time-of-use Race Condition vulnerability on crash report ownership change in Apport allows for a possible privilege escalation opportunity. If fs.protected_symlinks is disabled, this can be exploited between the os.open and os.chown calls when the Apport cron script clears out crash files of size 0. A symlink with the same name as the deleted file can then be created upon which chown will be called, changing the file owner to root. Fixed in versions 2.20.1-0ubuntu2.23, 2.20.9-0ubuntu7.14, 2.20.11-0ubuntu8.8 and 2.20.11-0ubuntu22.

Attack profile

How easy it is to exploit

Attack vector
Local
Complexity
High
Privileges needed
Low
User interaction
None

What an attacker can affect

Confidentiality
High
Integrity
None
Availability
None

Exploit likelihood

0.34%Down 0.5 points since Apr 14, 2021
90%50%10%1%

What each source reports

CVE List Score used 5.6

Apport race condition in crash report permissions

Time-of-check Time-of-use Race Condition vulnerability on crash report ownership change in Apport allows for a possible privilege escalation opportunity. If fs.protected_symlinks is disabled, this can be exploited between the os.open and os.chown calls when the Apport cron script clears out crash files of size 0. A symlink with the same name as the deleted file can then be created upon which chown will be called, changing the file owner to root. Fixed in versions 2.20.1-0ubuntu2.23, 2.20.9-0ubuntu7.14, 2.20.11-0ubuntu8.8 and 2.20.11-0ubuntu22.

Record
CVE-2020-8833
CVSS 3.1
5.6 MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:N/A:N
Weakness
CWE-367
Updated
2026-11-02
EUVDEUVD-2020-29676 5.6

Time-of-check Time-of-use Race Condition vulnerability on crash report ownership change in Apport allows for a possible privilege escalation opportunity. If fs.protected_symlinks is disabled, this can be exploited between the os.open and os.chown calls when the Apport cron script clears out crash files of size 0. A symlink with the same name as the deleted file can then be created upon which chown will be called, changing the file owner to root. Fixed in versions 2.20.1-0ubuntu2.23, 2.20.9-0ubuntu7.14, 2.20.11-0ubuntu8.8 and 2.20.11-0ubuntu22.

Record
EUVD-2020-29676
CVSS 3.1
5.6 MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:N/A:N
Updated
2026-11-03
GitHub AdvisoriesGHSA-w9g5-3qgc-xmgx 4.7

Time-of-check Time-of-use Race Condition vulnerability on crash report ownership change in Apport...

Time-of-check Time-of-use Race Condition vulnerability on crash report ownership change in Apport allows for a possible privilege escalation opportunity. If fs.protected_symlinks is disabled, this can be exploited between the os.open and os.chown calls when the Apport cron script clears out crash files of size 0. A symlink with the same name as the deleted file can then be created upon which chown will be called, changing the file owner to root. Fixed in versions 2.20.1-0ubuntu2.23, 2.20.9-0ubuntu7.14, 2.20.11-0ubuntu8.8 and 2.20.11-0ubuntu22.

Record
GHSA-w9g5-3qgc-xmgx
CVSS 3.1
4.7 MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N
Weakness
CWE-367
Updated
2026-11-02
NVD 5.6

Time-of-check Time-of-use Race Condition vulnerability on crash report ownership change in Apport allows for a possible privilege escalation opportunity. If fs.protected_symlinks is disabled, this can be exploited between the os.open and os.chown calls when the Apport cron script clears out crash files of size 0. A symlink with the same name as the deleted file can then be created upon which chown will be called, changing the file owner to root. Fixed in versions 2.20.1-0ubuntu2.23, 2.20.9-0ubuntu7.14, 2.20.11-0ubuntu8.8 and 2.20.11-0ubuntu22.

Record
CVE-2020-8833
CVSS 3.1
5.6 MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:N/A:N
CVSS 3.1
4.7 MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N
CVSS 2.0
1.9 LowAV:L/AC:M/Au:N/C:P/I:N/A:N
Weakness
CWE-367
Updated
2026-11-02
OSVUBUNTU-CVE-2020-8833 4.7

Time-of-check Time-of-use Race Condition vulnerability on crash report ownership change in Apport allows for a possible privilege escalation opportunity. If fs.protected_symlinks is disabled, this can be exploited between the os.open and os.chown calls when the Apport cron script clears out crash files of size 0. A symlink with the same name as the deleted file can then be created upon which chown will be called, changing the file owner to root. Fixed in versions 2.20.1-0ubuntu2.23, 2.20.9-0ubuntu7.14, 2.20.11-0ubuntu8.8 and 2.20.11-0ubuntu22.

Record
UBUNTU-CVE-2020-8833
CVSS 3.1
4.7 MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N
CVSS 3.1
5.6 MediumCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:N/A:N
Updated
2026-11-02
OSVUSN-4315-1 No score

apport vulnerabilities

Maximilien Bourgeteau discovered that the Apport lock file was created with insecure permissions. This could allow a local attacker to escalate their privileges via a symlink attack. (CVE-2020-8831)

Maximilien Bourgeteau discovered a race condition in Apport when setting crash report permissions. This could allow a local attacker to read arbitrary files via a symlink attack. (CVE-2020-8833)

Record
USN-4315-1
Updated
2026-11-02
OSVUSN-4315-2 No score

apport vulnerabilities

USN-4315-1 fixed several vulnerabilities in Apport. This update provides the corresponding update for Ubuntu 14.04 ESM.

Original advisory details:

Maximilien Bourgeteau discovered that the Apport lock file was created with insecure permissions. This could allow a local attacker to escalate their privileges via a symlink attack. (CVE-2020-8831)

Maximilien Bourgeteau discovered a race condition in Apport when setting crash report permissions. This could allow a local attacker to read arbitrary files via a symlink attack. (CVE-2020-8833)

Record
USN-4315-2
Updated
2026-11-02

Affected products

Affected packages

Affected packages
PackageAffectedFixed
apport
Ubuntu:Pro:14.04:LTS
before 2.14.1-0ubuntu3.29+esm4, plus listed versions
2.12.5-0ubuntu22.12.6-0ubuntu12.12.7-0ubuntu12.12.7-0ubuntu22.12.7-0ubuntu3
Show 40 moreShow less
2.12.7-0ubuntu62.13.1-0ubuntu12.13.1-0ubuntu22.13.2-0ubuntu22.13.2-0ubuntu32.13.2-0ubuntu42.13.2-0ubuntu52.13.3-0ubuntu12.14-0ubuntu12.14.1-0ubuntu12.14.1-0ubuntu22.14.1-0ubuntu32.14.1-0ubuntu3.12.14.1-0ubuntu3.22.14.1-0ubuntu3.32.14.1-0ubuntu3.42.14.1-0ubuntu3.52.14.1-0ubuntu3.62.14.1-0ubuntu3.72.14.1-0ubuntu3.82.14.1-0ubuntu3.92.14.1-0ubuntu3.102.14.1-0ubuntu3.112.14.1-0ubuntu3.122.14.1-0ubuntu3.132.14.1-0ubuntu3.152.14.1-0ubuntu3.162.14.1-0ubuntu3.182.14.1-0ubuntu3.192.14.1-0ubuntu3.202.14.1-0ubuntu3.212.14.1-0ubuntu3.232.14.1-0ubuntu3.242.14.1-0ubuntu3.252.14.1-0ubuntu3.272.14.1-0ubuntu3.282.14.1-0ubuntu3.292.14.1-0ubuntu3.29+esm12.14.1-0ubuntu3.29+esm22.14.1-0ubuntu3.29+esm3
2.14.1-0ubuntu3.29+esm4
apport
Ubuntu:16.04:LTS
before 2.20.1-0ubuntu2.23, plus listed versions
2.19.1-0ubuntu32.19.2-0ubuntu12.19.2-0ubuntu22.19.2-0ubuntu32.19.2-0ubuntu4
Show 31 moreShow less
2.19.2-0ubuntu52.19.2-0ubuntu62.19.2-0ubuntu82.19.2-0ubuntu92.19.3-0ubuntu12.19.3-0ubuntu22.19.3-0ubuntu32.19.4-0ubuntu12.19.4-0ubuntu22.20-0ubuntu22.20-0ubuntu32.20.1-0ubuntu12.20.1-0ubuntu22.20.1-0ubuntu2.12.20.1-0ubuntu2.22.20.1-0ubuntu2.42.20.1-0ubuntu2.52.20.1-0ubuntu2.62.20.1-0ubuntu2.92.20.1-0ubuntu2.102.20.1-0ubuntu2.122.20.1-0ubuntu2.132.20.1-0ubuntu2.142.20.1-0ubuntu2.152.20.1-0ubuntu2.162.20.1-0ubuntu2.172.20.1-0ubuntu2.182.20.1-0ubuntu2.192.20.1-0ubuntu2.202.20.1-0ubuntu2.212.20.1-0ubuntu2.22
2.20.1-0ubuntu2.23
apport
Ubuntu:18.04:LTS
before 2.20.9-0ubuntu7.14, plus listed versions
2.20.7-0ubuntu32.20.7-0ubuntu3.12.20.7-0ubuntu42.20.8-0ubuntu12.20.8-0ubuntu2
Show 26 moreShow less
2.20.8-0ubuntu32.20.8-0ubuntu42.20.8-0ubuntu52.20.8-0ubuntu62.20.8-0ubuntu72.20.8-0ubuntu82.20.8-0ubuntu92.20.8-0ubuntu102.20.9-0ubuntu12.20.9-0ubuntu22.20.9-0ubuntu42.20.9-0ubuntu52.20.9-0ubuntu62.20.9-0ubuntu72.20.9-0ubuntu7.12.20.9-0ubuntu7.22.20.9-0ubuntu7.32.20.9-0ubuntu7.42.20.9-0ubuntu7.52.20.9-0ubuntu7.62.20.9-0ubuntu7.72.20.9-0ubuntu7.82.20.9-0ubuntu7.92.20.9-0ubuntu7.112.20.9-0ubuntu7.122.20.9-0ubuntu7.13
2.20.9-0ubuntu7.14
apport
Ubuntu:20.04:LTS
before 2.20.11-0ubuntu22, plus listed versions
2.20.11-0ubuntu82.20.11-0ubuntu92.20.11-0ubuntu132.20.11-0ubuntu142.20.11-0ubuntu15
Show 6 moreShow less
2.20.11-0ubuntu162.20.11-0ubuntu172.20.11-0ubuntu182.20.11-0ubuntu192.20.11-0ubuntu202.20.11-0ubuntu21
2.20.11-0ubuntu22

History

History
WhenChangedSources
2026-11-03aliasesEUVD
2026-11-02createdCVE List, GitHub Advisories, NVD, OSV

References

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