# CVE-2020-1752: Use after free in glibc

> A local attacker can achieve arbitrary code execution via a use-after-free flaw in glibc's tilde expansion when processing crafted directory paths.

- **Severity:** High 7.0 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 30 Apr 2020
- **Updated:** 14 Oct 2026
- **Also known as:** CLSA-2025-1758704869, CLSA-2025-1758711950, DEBIAN-CVE-2020-1752, GHSA-8x3m-4qgh-829r, SUSE-SU-2020:0820-1, SUSE-SU-2022:1123-1, UBUNTU-CVE-2020-1752, openSUSE-SU-2020:0467-1

## What is CVE-2020-1752?

CVE-2020-1752 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Canonical Ubuntu Linux, published on 30 Apr 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

A use-after-free vulnerability introduced in glibc upstream version 2.14 was found in the way the tilde expansion was carried out. Directory paths containing an initial tilde followed by a valid username were affected by this issue. A local attacker could exploit this flaw by creating a specially crafted path that, when processed by the glob function, would potentially lead to arbitrary code execution. This was fixed in version 2.32.

Weakness: CWE-416 (Use After Free)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2020-1752?

It affects 8 products.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `glibc` | SUSE:HPE Helion OpenStack 8 | All versions | 2.22-123.1 |
| `glibc` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15-ESPOS | All versions | 2.26-13.45.1 |
| `glibc` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15-LTSS | All versions | 2.26-13.45.1 |
| `glibc` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Basesystem 15 SP1 | All versions | 2.26-13.45.1 |
| `glibc` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Development Tools 15 SP1 | All versions | 2.26-13.45.1 |
| `glibc` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP2-BCL | All versions | 2.22-123.1 |
| `glibc` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP3-BCL | All versions | 2.22-123.1 |
| `glibc` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP3-LTSS | All versions | 2.22-123.1 |
| `glibc` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 15-LTSS | All versions | 2.26-13.45.1 |
| `glibc` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 12 SP3 | All versions | 2.22-123.1 |
| `glibc` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 15 | All versions | 2.26-13.45.1 |
| `glibc` | SUSE:OpenStack Cloud 8 | All versions | 2.22-123.1 |
| `glibc` | SUSE:OpenStack Cloud Crowbar 8 | All versions | 2.22-123.1 |
| `glibc` | openSUSE:Leap 15.1 | All versions | 2.26-lp151.19.11.1 |
| `glibc-testsuite-src` | openSUSE:Leap 15.1 | All versions | 2.26-lp151.19.11.1 |

Products: Canonical Ubuntu Linux, Debian Debian Linux, Gnu Glibc, Netapp Active Iq Unified Manager, Netapp H410c Firmware, Netapp Hci Management Node, Netapp Solidfire, Netapp Steelstore Cloud Integrated Storage.

## How do I fix CVE-2020-1752?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

## Is CVE-2020-1752 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2020-1752 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Canonical Ubuntu Linux

- [CVE-2020-11651](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-11651/): SaltStack Salt Authentication Bypass (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2020-7247](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-7247/): OpenSMTPD Remote Code Execution (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2019-16928](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-16928/): Exim Out-of-bounds Write (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2018-6789](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-6789/): Exim Buffer Overflow (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2015-2590](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2015-2590/): Oracle Java SE and Java SE Embedded Remote Code Execution (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2020-1752 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2020-1752 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Canonical Ubuntu Linux, published on 30 Apr 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-2020-1752 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Canonical Ubuntu Linux. 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-2020-1752/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-1752/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2020-1752
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-1752
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2020-1752

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-1752/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.