Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
CVE-2020-28407 affects swtpm, a software TPM component. A local attacker may be able to abuse temporary-file handling with a symlink to overwrite files. This is not a remote internet attack based on the provided sources, but it can matter on shared hosts or virtualization systems running affected versions.
Executive priority
Treat this as a targeted local-privilege risk rather than an urgent internet-wide emergency. Patch affected swtpm installations during normal vulnerability remediation, with faster handling for shared infrastructure or virtualization hosts where local user boundaries matter.
Technical view
swtpm before 0.4.2 and 0.5.x before 0.5.1 may create or use temporary files such as TMP2-00.permall in a way susceptible to symlink attacks. The reported impact is arbitrary file overwrite by a local attacker. The source bundle does not provide CVSS, CWE, exploit details, or broader affected-package metadata.
Likely exposure
Exposure is most likely on systems running vulnerable swtpm versions, especially shared or multi-user systems and environments using software TPM functionality for virtual machines. The provided CVE data does not identify specific distributions, configurations, or package names beyond swtpm version ranges.
Exploitation context
The attack requires local attacker capability according to the CVE description. The bundle does not cite CISA KEV status, active exploitation, public exploit availability, or remote attack paths. Evidence is limited to the CVE description, release references, and a SUSE bug reference.
Researcher notes
The record lacks CVSS, CWE, and detailed exploit conditions. The key claims are local attacker, symlink attack, temporary file, and arbitrary file overwrite. Validate exact affected code paths and downstream patch status before assigning exploitability in a specific environment.
Mitigation direction
- Upgrade swtpm to 0.4.2, 0.5.1, or a later vendor-supported release.
- Check operating-system vendor advisories for backported fixed package versions.
- Prioritize shared hosts where untrusted local users may exist.
- Review temporary-file handling hardening if maintaining a downstream swtpm package.
- Avoid assuming remediation details beyond vendor release or distribution guidance.
Validation and detection
- Inventory installed swtpm versions across servers, images, and virtualization hosts.
- Confirm whether versions are below 0.4.2 or in 0.5.x below 0.5.1.
- Check distribution package changelogs for a CVE-2020-28407 backport.
- Review affected hosts for local user exposure and shared workload risk.
- Confirm fixed versions in golden images and deployment baselines.
Public sources used
Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.
Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context
These mappings and lookup hints may be relevant to the vulnerability behavior, CWE, affected product, or exposure path. Glexia-inferred context is not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, CWE, or CVE Program mapping.
ATT&CK lookup starting points
Use these exact CWE pages and searches to review the Glexia ATT&CK library from this CVE's weakness and description context.
CVE-2020-28407 mapping review
Open the CVE-to-ATT&CK bridge for reviewed, inferred, or future official mappings tied to this CVE.
Open ATT&CK lookup- Severity
- Unknown
- CVSS
- Not scored
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5
These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.
CVSS and timeline data
No CVSS vectors or timeline events were available in the normalized CVE source material.
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- https://github.com/stefanberger/swtpm/releases/tag/v0.4.2CVE reference
- https://bugzilla.suse.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1198395CVE reference
- https://github.com/stefanberger/swtpm/releases/tag/v0.5.1CVE reference
Products and packages named in the record
CWE details
CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.