# CVE-2020-16125: gdm3 would start gnome-initial-setup if it cannot contact accountservice > A local attacker can escalate privileges by exploiting a race condition where GDM3 launches initial setup if accountservice is unreachable, allowing creation of privileged accounts. - **Severity:** High 7.2 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:P/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H`) - **Exploited in the wild:** Not known - **Login needed:** Any signed-in user - **Attackable:** Local or same network only - **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something - **Fix available:** Yes - **Published:** 10 Nov 2020 - **Updated:** 17 Sep 2024 - **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2020-16125, DLA-2434-1, GHSA-pc8h-hq5p-vf38, MGASA-2021-0003, SUSE-SU-2020:3333-1, SUSE-SU-2020:3614-1, SUSE-SU-2020:3799-1, UBUNTU-CVE-2020-16125, USN-4614-1, openSUSE-SU-2020:1961-1, openSUSE-SU-2020:2264-1 ## What is CVE-2020-16125? CVE-2020-16125 is a high-severity vulnerability in Gnome GDM3, published on 10 Nov 2020. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link. ### Official description gdm3 versions before 3.36.2 or 3.38.2 would start gnome-initial-setup if gdm3 can't contact the accountservice service via dbus in a timely manner; on Ubuntu (and potentially derivatives) this could be be chained with an additional issue that could allow a local user to create a new privileged account. Weakness: CWE-754 (Improper Check for Unusual or Exceptional Conditions) ## Which versions are affected by CVE-2020-16125? It affects 1 product. | Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | `gdm` | SUSE:Enterprise Storage 5 | All versions | 3.10.0.1-54.17.2 | | `gdm` | SUSE:HPE Helion OpenStack 8 | All versions | 3.10.0.1-54.17.2 | | `gdm` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Desktop Applications 15 SP1 | All versions | 3.26.2.1-13.39.2 | | `gdm` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Desktop Applications 15 SP2 | All versions | 3.34.1-8.9.1 | | `gdm` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP2-BCL | All versions | 3.10.0.1-54.17.2 | | `gdm` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP2-LTSS | All versions | 3.10.0.1-54.17.2 | | `gdm` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP3-BCL | All versions | 3.10.0.1-54.17.2 | | `gdm` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP3-LTSS | All versions | 3.10.0.1-54.17.2 | | `gdm` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP4-LTSS | All versions | 3.10.0.1-54.17.2 | | `gdm` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP5 | All versions | 3.10.0.1-54.17.2 | | `gdm` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 12 SP2 | All versions | 3.10.0.1-54.17.2 | | `gdm` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 12 SP3 | All versions | 3.10.0.1-54.17.2 | | `gdm` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 12 SP4 | All versions | 3.10.0.1-54.17.2 | | `gdm` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 12 SP5 | All versions | 3.10.0.1-54.17.2 | | `gdm` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Software Development Kit 12 SP5 | All versions | 3.10.0.1-54.17.2 | | `gdm` | SUSE:OpenStack Cloud 7 | All versions | 3.10.0.1-54.17.2 | | `gdm` | SUSE:OpenStack Cloud 8 | All versions | 3.10.0.1-54.17.2 | | `gdm` | SUSE:OpenStack Cloud 9 | All versions | 3.10.0.1-54.17.2 | | `gdm` | SUSE:OpenStack Cloud Crowbar 8 | All versions | 3.10.0.1-54.17.2 | | `gdm` | SUSE:OpenStack Cloud Crowbar 9 | All versions | 3.10.0.1-54.17.2 | | `gdm` | openSUSE:Leap 15.1 | All versions | 3.26.2.1-lp151.16.10.1 | | `gdm` | openSUSE:Leap 15.2 | All versions | 3.34.1-lp152.6.9.1 | Products: Gnome Gnome Display Manager. ## How do I fix CVE-2020-16125? Upgrade to a fixed version. ## Is CVE-2020-16125 being exploited? There is no known exploitation of CVE-2020-16125 in the wild and no public exploit code. Public exploit code: - https://github.com/za970120604/CVE-2020-16125-Reproduction (github_poc): https://github.com/za970120604/CVE-2020-16125-Reproduction ## Other vulnerabilities in Gnome GDM3 - [CVE-2018-14424](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-14424/): Use after free in n/a (high 7.8) - [CVE-2013-4169](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2013-4169/): Path traversal in n/a (medium 6.9) - [CVE-2020-27837](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-27837/): Race condition in gdm (medium 6.4) - [CVE-2017-12164](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-12164/): Auth bypass in gdm (medium 4.1) - [CVE-2013-7273](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2013-7273/): Denial of service in n/a (low 2.1) ## Fix prompt for AI coding agents ```text Check this codebase for CVE-2020-16125 and fix it if it is affected. What it is: CVE-2020-16125 is a high-severity vulnerability in Gnome GDM3, published on 10 Nov 2020. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link. Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2020-16125 in the wild and no public exploit code. Affected product: Gnome GDM3. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page. Task: 1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies. 2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it. 3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead. 4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why. 5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing. Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-16125/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-16125/index.md) ``` ## Sources - CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2020-16125 - NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-16125 - OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2020-16125 --- From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-16125/ Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.