How severe is CVE-2018-20781?

CVE-2018-20781 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.8, rated high severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.

Is CVE-2018-20781 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 1% (71st percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2018-20781?

CVE-2018-20781 primarily affects Gnome Gnome Keyring. In total, 4 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.

How do I fix CVE-2018-20781?

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-2018-20781 published?

CVE-2018-20781 was published on 2019-02-12 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2018-20781

CVE-2018-20781 is a high-severity vulnerability in Gnome Gnome Keyring with a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.8. 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-522.

Key facts

Severity: High (CVSS 3.x base score 7.8)
CVSS v2: 2.1
EPSS exploit prediction: 1% (71st percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-522
Affected product: Gnome Gnome Keyring
Published: 2019-02-12
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

In pam/gkr-pam-module.c in GNOME Keyring before 3.27.2, the user's password is kept in a session-child process spawned from the LightDM daemon. This can expose the credential in cleartext.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2018-20781?: In pam/gkr-pam-module.c in GNOME Keyring before 3.27.2, the user's password is kept in a session-child process spawned from the LightDM daemon. This can expose the credential in cleartext.
How severe is CVE-2018-20781?: CVE-2018-20781 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.8, rated high severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.
Is CVE-2018-20781 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 1% (71st percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2018-20781?: CVE-2018-20781 primarily affects Gnome Gnome Keyring. In total, 4 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2018-20781?: 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-2018-20781 published?: CVE-2018-20781 was published on 2019-02-12 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (4)

cpe:2.3:a:gnome:gnome_keyring:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:14.04:*:*:*:esm:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:16.04:*:*:*:lts:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:oracle:zfs_storage_appliance_kit:8.8:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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