CVE-2020-14162

CVE-2020-14162 is a high-severity vulnerability in Pi-hole 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-78.

Key facts

Description

An issue was discovered in Pi-Hole through 5.0. The local www-data user has sudo privileges to execute the pihole core script as root without a password, which could allow an attacker to obtain root access via shell metacharacters to this script's setdns command.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2020-14162?
An issue was discovered in Pi-Hole through 5.0. The local www-data user has sudo privileges to execute the pihole core script as root without a password, which could allow an attacker to obtain root access via shell metacharacters to this script's setdns command.
How severe is CVE-2020-14162?
CVE-2020-14162 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-2020-14162 being actively exploited?
It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 1% (44th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2020-14162?
CVE-2020-14162 affects Pi-hole. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.
How do I fix CVE-2020-14162?
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-2020-14162 published?
CVE-2020-14162 was published on 2020-07-30 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (1)

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