How severe is CVE-2020-15396?

CVE-2020-15396 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-2020-15396 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (31st percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2020-15396?

CVE-2020-15396 primarily affects Hylafax+ Project Hylafax+. In total, 8 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.

How do I fix CVE-2020-15396?

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-2020-15396 published?

CVE-2020-15396 was published on 2020-06-30 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2020-15396

CVE-2020-15396 is a high-severity vulnerability in Hylafax+ Project Hylafax+ 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-362.

Key facts

Severity: High (CVSS 3.x base score 7.8)
CVSS v2: 7.2
EPSS exploit prediction: 0% (31st percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-362
Affected product: Hylafax+ Project Hylafax+
Published: 2020-06-30
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

In HylaFAX+ through 7.0.2 and HylaFAX Enterprise, the faxsetup utility calls chown on files in user-owned directories. By winning a race, a local attacker could use this to escalate his privileges to root.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2020-15396?: In HylaFAX+ through 7.0.2 and HylaFAX Enterprise, the faxsetup utility calls chown on files in user-owned directories. By winning a race, a local attacker could use this to escalate his privileges to root.
How severe is CVE-2020-15396?: CVE-2020-15396 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-2020-15396 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (31st percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2020-15396?: CVE-2020-15396 primarily affects Hylafax+ Project Hylafax+. In total, 8 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2020-15396?: 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-2020-15396 published?: CVE-2020-15396 was published on 2020-06-30 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (8)

cpe:2.3:a:hylafax\+_project:hylafax\+:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:ifax:hylafax_enterprise:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:fedoraproject:fedora:31:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:fedoraproject:fedora:32:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:opensuse:backports_sle:15.0:sp1:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:opensuse:backports_sle:15.0:sp2:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:opensuse:leap:15.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:opensuse:leap:15.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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