CVE-2020-16127
accountsservice .pam_environment infinite loop
- Published
- Nov 11, 2020
- Updated
- Sep 16, 2024
- Assigning CNA
- canonical
- Evidence observed
- Aug 5, 2026
Primary CVSS
nvd · CVSS 3.1
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:HLow · next 30 days
- Percentile
- 35.3%
- Model date
- Sep 21, 2026
EPSS is a statistical estimate, not a certainty or a measure of impact. Combine it with CVSS, KEV status, exposure and your environment.
Summary
An Ubuntu-specific modification to AccountsService in versions before 0.6.55-0ubuntu13.2, among other earlier versions, would perform unbounded read operations on user-controlled ~/.pam_environment files, allowing an infinite loop if /dev/zero is symlinked to this location.
Sources
1A bash script exploit of [CVE-2020-16126/CVE-2020-16127] to achieve privilege escalation. Ubuntu 16.04-20.04 LTS local privilege escalation exploit script. Requires Gnome graphical environment.
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