CVE-2020-16127

accountsservice .pam_environment infinite loop

MEDIUM

5.5

CVSS Score

Published: November 11, 2020 at 04:10 AM UTC

Updated: June 17, 2026 at 02:57 AM UTC

1 product affected across 1 vendorAccountsservice

Using accountsservice by Freedesktop?

Get instant alerts when new vulnerabilities affect accountsservice - before attackers find them.

Real-time alertsTrack your software stackFree plan available

Start Free Sign In

Severity

MEDIUM5.5

Exploit prediction

EPSS 0.4%

Description

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.

Affected

Our own answer: ranges merged, affected separated from platform-only, with confidence and review flags.

Accountsservice · Freedesktop

95%

v < 0.6.550.6.35-0ubuntu7.3 ≤ v < 0.6.35-0ubuntu7.3+esm20.6.40-2ubuntu11 ≤ v < 0.6.40-2ubuntu11.60.6.45-1ubuntu1 ≤ v < 0.6.45-1ubuntu1.30.6.55-0ubuntu ≤ v < 0.6.55-0ubuntu12~20.04.40.6.55-0ubuntu13 ≤ v < 0.6.55-0ubuntu13.20.6.35-0ubuntu7.3 0.6.40-2ubuntu11 0.6.45-1ubuntu1 0.6.55-0ubuntu 0.6.55-0ubuntu13

Affected range stops below 0.6.35-0ubuntu7.3+esm2, so it looks safe — our inference, not a vendor statement

Affected range stops below 0.6.40-2ubuntu11.6, so it looks safe — our inference, not a vendor statement

Affected range stops below 0.6.45-1ubuntu1.3, so it looks safe — our inference, not a vendor statement

Affected range stops below 0.6.55, so it looks safe — our inference, not a vendor statement

Affected range stops below 0.6.55-0ubuntu12~20.04.4, so it looks safe — our inference, not a vendor statement

Affected range stops below 0.6.55-0ubuntu13.2, so it looks safe — our inference, not a vendor statement

Remediation

No guide yet

No remediation guidance has been written for this CVE yet, and no fixed version or vendor advisory is recorded against it.

References (1)

x_refsource_MISCExploitThird Party Advisory

Source: [email protected]

https://securitylab.github.com/advisories/GHSL-2020-187-accountsservice-drop-privs-DOS

CVSS

5.5MEDIUM[email protected]

Attack Vector: LOCAL
Complexity: LOW
Privileges: LOW
User Interaction: NONE
Scope: UNCHANGED
Confidentiality: NONE
Integrity: NONE
Availability: HIGH

Vector?

Quick Info

StatusMODIFIED

CWE

CWE-20CWE-835

Get alerted

Stop reading CVE feeds looking for your own stack

Track the products you run and VulnTracker tells you when a new CVE affects them — with what is known about fixing it, and nothing about the rest.

Create account Sign in

Free plan, no card