How severe is CVE-2020-25031?

CVE-2020-25031 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-2020-25031 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-2020-25031?

CVE-2020-25031 affects Canonical Checkinstall. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.

How do I fix CVE-2020-25031?

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-2020-25031 published?

CVE-2020-25031 was published on 2020-08-31 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2020-25031

CVE-2020-25031 is a high-severity vulnerability in Canonical Checkinstall 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-59.

Key facts

Severity: High (CVSS 3.x base score 7.8)
CVSS v2: 7.2
EPSS exploit prediction: 1% (42nd percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-59
Affected product: Canonical Checkinstall
Published: 2020-08-31
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

checkinstall 1.6.2, when used to create a package that contains a symlink, may trigger the creation of a mode 0777 executable file.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2020-25031?: checkinstall 1.6.2, when used to create a package that contains a symlink, may trigger the creation of a mode 0777 executable file.
How severe is CVE-2020-25031?: CVE-2020-25031 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-2020-25031 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-2020-25031?: CVE-2020-25031 affects Canonical Checkinstall. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.
How do I fix CVE-2020-25031?: 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-2020-25031 published?: CVE-2020-25031 was published on 2020-08-31 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/checkinstall/+bug/1861281

Affected products (1)

cpe:2.3:a:canonical:checkinstall:1.6.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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