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CVE Record

CVE-2025-6020: Linux-pam: linux-pam directory traversal

A flaw was found in linux-pam. The module pam_namespace may use access user-controlled paths without proper protection, allowing local users to elevate their privileges to root via multiple symlink attacks and race conditions.

HighCVSS 7.8Not KEV-listedUpdated
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Glexia's TakeAutomated analysishigh

Security readout for executives and security teams

Plain-English summary

CVE-2025-6020 is a local privilege-escalation flaw in linux-pam’s pam_namespace module. A user who already has local access may be able to gain root privileges through unsafe handling of user-controlled paths. This is not a remote internet-facing bug, but it is serious on shared Linux systems or servers with many local accounts.

Executive priority

Treat as high priority for Linux servers where users can log in locally or through SSH. It is less urgent than a remote unauthenticated flaw, but successful exploitation could give full root control. Patch affected RHEL systems through standard emergency or accelerated Linux maintenance windows.

Technical view

The flaw is described as directory traversal in linux-pam pam_namespace, involving access to user-controlled paths without proper protection. The CVE notes multiple symlink attacks and race conditions that can allow local users to elevate privileges to root. CVSS 3.1 is 7.8, with local attack vector, low complexity, low privileges, and high confidentiality, integrity, and availability impact.

Likely exposure

Confirmed affected packages are Red Hat pam builds across RHEL 7 ELS, RHEL 8, RHEL 9, RHEL 10, and several EUS/AUS/E4S/TUS/SAP channels listed in the source bundle. Exposure requires a local user account and likely depends on pam_namespace being present or used in the authentication/session stack.

Exploitation context

Sources do not show CISA KEV listing or active exploitation. The vulnerability is locally exploitable after an attacker has some account or code execution on the host. Risk is higher on multi-user systems, developer servers, jump hosts, shared compute, and systems where untrusted users can log in.

Researcher notes

The public bundle identifies CWE-22 and describes symlink/race-condition abuse, but does not provide detailed preconditions, proof-of-concept status, or distribution-wide impact beyond listed Red Hat packages. Avoid assuming active exploitation. Validate exposure by package version and pam_namespace configuration rather than CVE presence alone.

Mitigation direction

  • Apply the relevant Red Hat RHSA update for each affected RHEL channel.
  • Prioritize hosts with local users, shared access, or exposed login services.
  • Check vendor guidance for non-Red Hat linux-pam distributions.
  • Review whether pam_namespace is required in your PAM configuration.

Validation and detection

  • Inventory installed pam or linux-pam package versions across Linux assets.
  • Compare versions against the affected Red Hat package list and advisories.
  • Identify systems using pam_namespace in PAM session configuration.
  • Confirm remediation by verifying updated vendor package versions after patching.
Prepared
Confidence
high
Sources
12

Public sources used

Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.

Potential ATT&CK relevance

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.

cwe · medium confidence lookup

CWE-22: File access and web shell behavior lookup

File traversal and upload weaknesses can lead teams to review file, web shell, execution, and collection telemetry. Open the exact CWE lookup page first, then review the ATT&CK searches from that MITRE weakness context. This is a Glexia lookup hint, not an official ATT&CK mapping.

Open ATT&CK lookup
description · low confidence lookup

File access behavior lookup

The CVE wording references file access or upload behavior, so file telemetry and web shell review may help. This is a Glexia inferred lookup path, not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, or CVE Program mapping.

Open ATT&CK lookup
description · low confidence lookup

Container behavior lookup

The affected technology mentions containers, so container-specific ATT&CK technique review may help. This is a Glexia inferred lookup path, not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, or CVE Program mapping.

Open ATT&CK lookup
cve · low confidence lookup

CVE-2025-6020 mapping review

Open the CVE-to-ATT&CK bridge for reviewed, inferred, or future official mappings tied to this CVE.

Open ATT&CK lookup
Vulnerability profileCVE Program record
Severity
High
CVSS
7.8 (3.1)
Known Exploited
No
Published

Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Official CVE source material

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.

1CVSS vectors
5Timeline events
3ADP providers
32Source links

SSVC decision data

CISA-ADPCISA Coordinator
Timestamp
Version
2.0.3
Exploitation: noneAutomatable: noTechnical Impact: total

CVSS vector scores

1 official score

We collect every scored CVSS vector available in the official CNA and ADP containers. When more than one version is present, the table keeps the source vectors side by side instead of collapsing them into the highest score.

ScoreVersionSeverityVectorExploitImpactSource
7.8CVSS 3.1HighCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H1.85.9redhat

Vulnerability scoring details

Base CVSS 3.1 score

7.8High
CVSS 3.1 vector shape for CVE-2025-6020Attack VectorAttack ComplexityPrivileges RequiredUser InteractionScopeConfidentiality ImpactIntegrity ImpactAvailability Impact

Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Attack Vector
NetworkAdjacentLocalPhysical
Attack Complexity
LowHigh
Privileges Required
NoneLowHigh
User Interaction
NoneRequired
Scope
ChangedUnchanged
Confidentiality Impact
HighLowNone
Integrity Impact
HighLowNone
Availability Impact
HighLowNone

Vulnerability timeline

Timeline events are normalized from CVE metadata, CNA source timelines, ADP timelines, and KEV metadata when present.

  1. CVE reservedCVE Program

    The CVE ID was reserved by the assigning CNA.

  2. Source timelineredhat

    Reported to Red Hat.

  3. Source timelineredhat

    Made public.

  4. CVE publishedCVE Program

    The CVE record was published.

  5. CVE updatedCVE Program

    The CVE record metadata indicates this as the latest update time.

ADP provider summaries

CISA-ADPCISA ADP Vulnrichment
other:ssvc
CVECVE Program Container
siemens-SADPADP container

Source materials

Affected products

Products and packages named in the record

VendorProductVersion / packageStatus
Unknown vendorlinux-pamlinux-pam, 0unaffected
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 10pam, 0:1.6.1-8.el10affected
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 10.0 Extended Update Supportpam, 0:1.6.1-8.el10_0affected
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 7 Extended Lifecycle Supportpam, 0:1.1.8-23.el7_9.1affected
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 8pam, 0:1.3.1-37.el8_10affected
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 8pam, 0:1.3.1-38.el8_10affected
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 8.2 Advanced Update Supportpam, 0:1.3.1-8.el8_2.1affected
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 8.4 Advanced Mission Critical Update Supportpam, 0:1.3.1-14.el8_4.1affected
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 8.6 Advanced Mission Critical Update Supportpam, 0:1.3.1-16.el8_6.2affected
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 8.6 Telecommunications Update Servicepam, 0:1.3.1-16.el8_6.2affected
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 8.6 Update Services for SAP Solutionspam, 0:1.3.1-16.el8_6.2affected
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 8.8 Telecommunications Update Servicepam, 0:1.3.1-26.el8_8.1affected
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 8.8 Update Services for SAP Solutionspam, 0:1.3.1-26.el8_8.1affected
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 9pam, 0:1.5.1-26.el9_6affected
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 9pam, 0:1.5.1-25.el9_6affected
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 9pam, 0:1.5.1-26.el9_6affected
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 9pam, 0:1.5.1-25.el9_6affected
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 9.0 Update Services for SAP Solutionspam, 0:1.5.1-9.el9_0.2affected
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 9.2 Update Services for SAP Solutionspam, 0:1.5.1-15.el9_2.1affected
Red HatRed Hat Enterprise Linux 9.4 Extended Update Supportpam, 0:1.5.1-24.el9_4affected
Red HatRed Hat Web Terminal 1.11 on RHEL 9web-terminal/web-terminal-rhel9-operator, 1.11-19affected
Red HatRed Hat Web Terminal 1.11 on RHEL 9web-terminal/web-terminal-tooling-rhel9, 1.11-8affected
Red HatRed Hat Web Terminal 1.12 on RHEL 9web-terminal/web-terminal-tooling-rhel9, 1.12-4affected
Red HatRHEL-8 based Middleware Containersrhpam-7/rhpam-businesscentral-monitoring-rhel8, 7.13.5-4.1752066672affected
Red HatRHEL-8 based Middleware Containersrhpam-7/rhpam-businesscentral-rhel8, 7.13.5-4.1752065732affected
Red HatRHEL-8 based Middleware Containersrhpam-7/rhpam-controller-rhel8, 7.13.5-4.1752065732affected
Red HatRHEL-8 based Middleware Containersrhpam-7/rhpam-dashbuilder-rhel8, 7.13.5-3.1752065737affected
Red HatRHEL-8 based Middleware Containersrhpam-7/rhpam-kieserver-rhel8, 7.13.5-4.1752065731affected
Red HatRHEL-8 based Middleware Containersrhpam-7/rhpam-operator-bundle, 7.13.5-25affected
Red HatRHEL-8 based Middleware Containersrhpam-7/rhpam-process-migration-rhel8, 7.13.5-4.1752065736affected
Weakness

CWE details

CWE-22

CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.