How severe is CVE-2016-20015?

CVE-2016-20015 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.5, rated high severity. It is exploitable over network with high attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.

Is CVE-2016-20015 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 1% (42nd percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2016-20015?

CVE-2016-20015 affects Smokeping. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.

How do I fix CVE-2016-20015?

Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its high severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.

When was CVE-2016-20015 published?

CVE-2016-20015 was published on 2022-09-20 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2016-20015

CVE-2016-20015 is a high-severity vulnerability in Smokeping with a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.5. It is not currently listed as actively exploited by CISA, and its EPSS exploit-prediction score is low. The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-362.

Key facts

Severity: High (CVSS 3.x base score 7.5)
EPSS exploit prediction: 1% (42nd percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-362
Affected product: Smokeping
Published: 2022-09-20
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

In the ebuild package through smokeping-2.7.3-r1 for SmokePing on Gentoo, the initscript allows the smokeping user to gain ownership of any file, allowing for the smokeping user to gain root privileges. There is a race condition involving /var/lib/smokeping and chown.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2016-20015?: In the ebuild package through smokeping-2.7.3-r1 for SmokePing on Gentoo, the initscript allows the smokeping user to gain ownership of any file, allowing for the smokeping user to gain root privileges. There is a race condition involving /var/lib/smokeping and chown.
How severe is CVE-2016-20015?: CVE-2016-20015 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.5, rated high severity. It is exploitable over network with high attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.
Is CVE-2016-20015 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 1% (42nd percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2016-20015?: CVE-2016-20015 affects Smokeping. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.
How do I fix CVE-2016-20015?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its high severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.
When was CVE-2016-20015 published?: CVE-2016-20015 was published on 2022-09-20 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

https://bugs.gentoo.org/602652

Affected products (1)

cpe:2.3:a:smokeping:smokeping:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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Other CWE-362 (Race Condition) vulnerabilities

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CVE-2010-1228 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): Multiple race conditions in the sandbox infrastructure in Google Chrome before 4.1.249.1036 have unspecified impact and…
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