How severe is CVE-2020-7221?

CVE-2020-7221 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-2020-7221 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 1% (48th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2020-7221?

CVE-2020-7221 affects Mariadb. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.

How do I fix CVE-2020-7221?

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-2020-7221 published?

CVE-2020-7221 was published on 2020-02-04 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2020-7221

CVE-2020-7221 is a high-severity vulnerability in Mariadb 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% (48th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-59
Affected product: Mariadb
Published: 2020-02-04
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

mysql_install_db in MariaDB 10.4.7 through 10.4.11 allows privilege escalation from the mysql user account to root because chown and chmod are performed unsafely, as demonstrated by a symlink attack on a chmod 04755 of auth_pam_tool_dir/auth_pam_tool. NOTE: this does not affect the Oracle MySQL product, which implements mysql_install_db differently.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2020-7221?: mysql_install_db in MariaDB 10.4.7 through 10.4.11 allows privilege escalation from the mysql user account to root because chown and chmod are performed unsafely, as demonstrated by a symlink attack on a chmod 04755 of auth_pam_tool_dir/auth_pam_tool. NOTE: this does not affect the Oracle MySQL product, which implements mysql_install_db differently.
How severe is CVE-2020-7221?: CVE-2020-7221 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-2020-7221 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 1% (48th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2020-7221?: CVE-2020-7221 affects Mariadb. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.
How do I fix CVE-2020-7221?: 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-2020-7221 published?: CVE-2020-7221 was published on 2020-02-04 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (1)

cpe:2.3:a:mariadb:mariadb:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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