How severe is CVE-2019-18898?

CVE-2019-18898 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.7, rated high severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability none.

Is CVE-2019-18898 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (38th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2019-18898?

CVE-2019-18898 primarily affects Suse Trousers. In total, 2 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.

How do I fix CVE-2019-18898?

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-2019-18898 published?

CVE-2019-18898 was published on 2020-01-23 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2019-18898

CVE-2019-18898 is a high-severity vulnerability in Suse Trousers with a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.7. 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-59.

Key facts

Severity: High (CVSS 3.x base score 7.7)
CVSS v2: 7.2
EPSS exploit prediction: 0% (38th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-59
Affected product: Suse Trousers
Published: 2020-01-23
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

UNIX Symbolic Link (Symlink) Following vulnerability in the trousers package of SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP1; openSUSE Factory allowed local attackers escalate privileges from user tss to root. This issue affects: SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP1 trousers versions prior to 0.3.14-6.3.1. openSUSE Factory trousers versions prior to 0.3.14-7.1.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2019-18898?: UNIX Symbolic Link (Symlink) Following vulnerability in the trousers package of SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP1; openSUSE Factory allowed local attackers escalate privileges from user tss to root. This issue affects: SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP1 trousers versions prior to 0.3.14-6.3.1. openSUSE Factory trousers versions prior to 0.3.14-7.1.
How severe is CVE-2019-18898?: CVE-2019-18898 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.7, rated high severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability none.
Is CVE-2019-18898 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (38th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2019-18898?: CVE-2019-18898 primarily affects Suse Trousers. In total, 2 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2019-18898?: 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-2019-18898 published?: CVE-2019-18898 was published on 2020-01-23 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (2)

cpe:2.3:a:suse:trousers:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:opensuse:leap:15.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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