USN-4538-1 (UBUNTU-CVE-2020-16121)
Vulnerability from osv_ubuntu – Published: 2020-09-24 13:03 – Updated: 2026-04-22 07:36 – Source website
VLAI
Summary
packagekit vulnerabilities
Details
Vaisha Bernard discovered that PackageKit incorrectly handled certain methods. A local attacker could use this issue to learn the MIME type of any file on the system. (CVE-2020-16121)
Sami Niemimäki discovered that PackageKit incorrectly handled local deb packages. A local user could possibly use this issue to install untrusted packages, contrary to expectations. (CVE-2020-16122)
References
| URL | Type | |
|---|---|---|
{
"affected": [
{
"database_specific": {
"cves_map": {
"cves": [
{
"id": "CVE-2020-16121",
"severity": [
{
"score": "CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N",
"type": "CVSS_V3"
},
{
"score": "CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N",
"type": "CVSS_V3"
},
{
"score": "low",
"type": "Ubuntu"
}
]
},
{
"id": "CVE-2020-16122",
"severity": [
{
"score": "CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H",
"type": "CVSS_V3"
},
{
"score": "CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H",
"type": "CVSS_V3"
},
{
"score": "medium",
"type": "Ubuntu"
}
]
}
],
"ecosystem": "Ubuntu:16.04:LTS"
}
},
"ecosystem_specific": {
"availability": "No subscription required",
"binaries": [
{
"binary_name": "gir1.2-packagekitglib-1.0",
"binary_version": "0.8.17-4ubuntu6~gcc5.4ubuntu1.5"
},
{
"binary_name": "gstreamer1.0-packagekit",
"binary_version": "0.8.17-4ubuntu6~gcc5.4ubuntu1.5"
},
{
"binary_name": "libpackagekit-glib2-16",
"binary_version": "0.8.17-4ubuntu6~gcc5.4ubuntu1.5"
},
{
"binary_name": "packagekit",
"binary_version": "0.8.17-4ubuntu6~gcc5.4ubuntu1.5"
},
{
"binary_name": "packagekit-backend-aptcc",
"binary_version": "0.8.17-4ubuntu6~gcc5.4ubuntu1.5"
},
{
"binary_name": "packagekit-backend-smart",
"binary_version": "0.8.17-4ubuntu6~gcc5.4ubuntu1.5"
},
{
"binary_name": "packagekit-docs",
"binary_version": "0.8.17-4ubuntu6~gcc5.4ubuntu1.5"
},
{
"binary_name": "packagekit-gtk3-module",
"binary_version": "0.8.17-4ubuntu6~gcc5.4ubuntu1.5"
},
{
"binary_name": "packagekit-tools",
"binary_version": "0.8.17-4ubuntu6~gcc5.4ubuntu1.5"
},
{
"binary_name": "python3-packagekit",
"binary_version": "0.8.17-4ubuntu6~gcc5.4ubuntu1.5"
}
]
},
"package": {
"ecosystem": "Ubuntu:16.04:LTS",
"name": "packagekit",
"purl": "pkg:deb/ubuntu/packagekit@0.8.17-4ubuntu6~gcc5.4ubuntu1.5?arch=source\u0026distro=xenial"
},
"ranges": [
{
"events": [
{
"introduced": "0"
},
{
"fixed": "0.8.17-4ubuntu6~gcc5.4ubuntu1.5"
}
],
"type": "ECOSYSTEM"
}
],
"versions": [
"0.8.17-4ubuntu6~gcc5.3",
"0.8.17-4ubuntu6~gcc5.4ubuntu1",
"0.8.17-4ubuntu6~gcc5.4ubuntu1.1",
"0.8.17-4ubuntu6~gcc5.4ubuntu1.2",
"0.8.17-4ubuntu6~gcc5.4ubuntu1.3",
"0.8.17-4ubuntu6~gcc5.4ubuntu1.4"
]
},
{
"database_specific": {
"cves_map": {
"cves": [
{
"id": "CVE-2020-16121",
"severity": [
{
"score": "CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N",
"type": "CVSS_V3"
},
{
"score": "CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N",
"type": "CVSS_V3"
},
{
"score": "low",
"type": "Ubuntu"
}
]
},
{
"id": "CVE-2020-16122",
"severity": [
{
"score": "CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H",
"type": "CVSS_V3"
},
{
"score": "CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H",
"type": "CVSS_V3"
},
{
"score": "medium",
"type": "Ubuntu"
}
]
}
],
"ecosystem": "Ubuntu:18.04:LTS"
}
},
"ecosystem_specific": {
"availability": "No subscription required",
"binaries": [
{
"binary_name": "gir1.2-packagekitglib-1.0",
"binary_version": "1.1.9-1ubuntu2.18.04.6"
},
{
"binary_name": "gstreamer1.0-packagekit",
"binary_version": "1.1.9-1ubuntu2.18.04.6"
},
{
"binary_name": "libpackagekit-glib2-18",
"binary_version": "1.1.9-1ubuntu2.18.04.6"
},
{
"binary_name": "packagekit",
"binary_version": "1.1.9-1ubuntu2.18.04.6"
},
{
"binary_name": "packagekit-command-not-found",
"binary_version": "1.1.9-1ubuntu2.18.04.6"
},
{
"binary_name": "packagekit-docs",
"binary_version": "1.1.9-1ubuntu2.18.04.6"
},
{
"binary_name": "packagekit-gtk3-module",
"binary_version": "1.1.9-1ubuntu2.18.04.6"
},
{
"binary_name": "packagekit-tools",
"binary_version": "1.1.9-1ubuntu2.18.04.6"
}
]
},
"package": {
"ecosystem": "Ubuntu:18.04:LTS",
"name": "packagekit",
"purl": "pkg:deb/ubuntu/packagekit@1.1.9-1ubuntu2.18.04.6?arch=source\u0026distro=bionic"
},
"ranges": [
{
"events": [
{
"introduced": "0"
},
{
"fixed": "1.1.9-1ubuntu2.18.04.6"
}
],
"type": "ECOSYSTEM"
}
],
"versions": [
"1.1.7-1",
"1.1.9-1",
"1.1.9-1ubuntu1",
"1.1.9-1ubuntu2",
"1.1.9-1ubuntu2.18.04.1",
"1.1.9-1ubuntu2.18.04.3",
"1.1.9-1ubuntu2.18.04.4",
"1.1.9-1ubuntu2.18.04.5"
]
},
{
"database_specific": {
"cves_map": {
"cves": [
{
"id": "CVE-2020-16121",
"severity": [
{
"score": "CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N",
"type": "CVSS_V3"
},
{
"score": "CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N",
"type": "CVSS_V3"
},
{
"score": "low",
"type": "Ubuntu"
}
]
},
{
"id": "CVE-2020-16122",
"severity": [
{
"score": "CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H",
"type": "CVSS_V3"
},
{
"score": "CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H",
"type": "CVSS_V3"
},
{
"score": "medium",
"type": "Ubuntu"
}
]
}
],
"ecosystem": "Ubuntu:20.04:LTS"
}
},
"ecosystem_specific": {
"availability": "No subscription required",
"binaries": [
{
"binary_name": "gir1.2-packagekitglib-1.0",
"binary_version": "1.1.13-2ubuntu1.1"
},
{
"binary_name": "gstreamer1.0-packagekit",
"binary_version": "1.1.13-2ubuntu1.1"
},
{
"binary_name": "libpackagekit-glib2-18",
"binary_version": "1.1.13-2ubuntu1.1"
},
{
"binary_name": "packagekit",
"binary_version": "1.1.13-2ubuntu1.1"
},
{
"binary_name": "packagekit-command-not-found",
"binary_version": "1.1.13-2ubuntu1.1"
},
{
"binary_name": "packagekit-docs",
"binary_version": "1.1.13-2ubuntu1.1"
},
{
"binary_name": "packagekit-gtk3-module",
"binary_version": "1.1.13-2ubuntu1.1"
},
{
"binary_name": "packagekit-tools",
"binary_version": "1.1.13-2ubuntu1.1"
}
]
},
"package": {
"ecosystem": "Ubuntu:20.04:LTS",
"name": "packagekit",
"purl": "pkg:deb/ubuntu/packagekit@1.1.13-2ubuntu1.1?arch=source\u0026distro=focal"
},
"ranges": [
{
"events": [
{
"introduced": "0"
},
{
"fixed": "1.1.13-2ubuntu1.1"
}
],
"type": "ECOSYSTEM"
}
],
"versions": [
"1.1.12-5ubuntu4",
"1.1.13-1",
"1.1.13-2",
"1.1.13-2build1",
"1.1.13-2ubuntu1"
]
}
],
"aliases": [],
"details": "Vaisha Bernard discovered that PackageKit incorrectly handled certain\nmethods. A local attacker could use this issue to learn the MIME type of\nany file on the system. (CVE-2020-16121)\n\nSami Niemim\u00e4ki discovered that PackageKit incorrectly handled local deb\npackages. A local user could possibly use this issue to install untrusted\npackages, contrary to expectations. (CVE-2020-16122)\n",
"id": "USN-4538-1",
"modified": "2026-04-22T07:36:58Z",
"published": "2020-09-24T13:03:59Z",
"references": [
{
"type": "ADVISORY",
"url": "https://ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-4538-1"
},
{
"type": "REPORT",
"url": "https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2020-16121"
},
{
"type": "REPORT",
"url": "https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2020-16122"
}
],
"related": [],
"schema_version": "1.7.0",
"summary": "packagekit vulnerabilities",
"upstream": [
"UBUNTU-CVE-2020-16121",
"UBUNTU-CVE-2020-16122"
]
}
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Browse all ATT&CK techniques and the vulnerabilities related to each.
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