USN-4538-1

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Source
https://ubuntu.com/security/notices/USN-4538-1
Import Source
https://github.com/canonical/ubuntu-security-notices/blob/main/osv/usn/USN-4538-1.json
JSON Data
https://api.osv.dev/v1/vulns/USN-4538-1
Upstream
Related
Published
2020-09-24T13:03:59.073876Z
Modified
2025-10-13T04:35:14Z
Summary
packagekit vulnerabilities
Details

Vaisha Bernard discovered that PackageKit incorrectly handled certain methods. A local attacker could use this issue to learn the MIME type of any file on the system. (CVE-2020-16121)

Sami Niemimäki discovered that PackageKit incorrectly handled local deb packages. A local user could possibly use this issue to install untrusted packages, contrary to expectations. (CVE-2020-16122)

References

Affected packages

Ubuntu:16.04:LTS / packagekit

Package

Name
packagekit
Purl
pkg:deb/ubuntu/packagekit@0.8.17-4ubuntu6~gcc5.4ubuntu1.5?arch=source&distro=xenial

Affected ranges

Type
ECOSYSTEM
Events
Introduced
0Unknown introduced version / All previous versions are affected
Fixed
0.8.17-4ubuntu6~gcc5.4ubuntu1.5

Affected versions

0.*

0.8.17-4ubuntu6~gcc5.3
0.8.17-4ubuntu6~gcc5.4ubuntu1
0.8.17-4ubuntu6~gcc5.4ubuntu1.1
0.8.17-4ubuntu6~gcc5.4ubuntu1.2
0.8.17-4ubuntu6~gcc5.4ubuntu1.3
0.8.17-4ubuntu6~gcc5.4ubuntu1.4

Ecosystem specific 

{
    "binaries": [
        {
            "binary_version": "0.8.17-4ubuntu6~gcc5.4ubuntu1.5",
            "binary_name": "gir1.2-packagekitglib-1.0"
        },
        {
            "binary_version": "0.8.17-4ubuntu6~gcc5.4ubuntu1.5",
            "binary_name": "gstreamer1.0-packagekit"
        },
        {
            "binary_version": "0.8.17-4ubuntu6~gcc5.4ubuntu1.5",
            "binary_name": "libpackagekit-glib2-16"
        },
        {
            "binary_version": "0.8.17-4ubuntu6~gcc5.4ubuntu1.5",
            "binary_name": "libpackagekit-glib2-dev"
        },
        {
            "binary_version": "0.8.17-4ubuntu6~gcc5.4ubuntu1.5",
            "binary_name": "packagekit"
        },
        {
            "binary_version": "0.8.17-4ubuntu6~gcc5.4ubuntu1.5",
            "binary_name": "packagekit-backend-aptcc"
        },
        {
            "binary_version": "0.8.17-4ubuntu6~gcc5.4ubuntu1.5",
            "binary_name": "packagekit-backend-smart"
        },
        {
            "binary_version": "0.8.17-4ubuntu6~gcc5.4ubuntu1.5",
            "binary_name": "packagekit-docs"
        },
        {
            "binary_version": "0.8.17-4ubuntu6~gcc5.4ubuntu1.5",
            "binary_name": "packagekit-gtk3-module"
        },
        {
            "binary_version": "0.8.17-4ubuntu6~gcc5.4ubuntu1.5",
            "binary_name": "packagekit-tools"
        },
        {
            "binary_version": "0.8.17-4ubuntu6~gcc5.4ubuntu1.5",
            "binary_name": "python3-packagekit"
        }
    ],
    "availability": "No subscription required"
}

Database specific

cves_map

{
    "ecosystem": "Ubuntu:16.04:LTS",
    "cves": [
        {
            "severity": [
                {
                    "score": "CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N",
                    "type": "CVSS_V3"
                },
                {
                    "score": "CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N",
                    "type": "CVSS_V3"
                },
                {
                    "score": "low",
                    "type": "Ubuntu"
                }
            ],
            "id": "CVE-2020-16121"
        },
        {
            "severity": [
                {
                    "score": "CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H",
                    "type": "CVSS_V3"
                },
                {
                    "score": "CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H",
                    "type": "CVSS_V3"
                },
                {
                    "score": "medium",
                    "type": "Ubuntu"
                }
            ],
            "id": "CVE-2020-16122"
        }
    ]
}

Ubuntu:18.04:LTS / packagekit

Package

Name
packagekit
Purl
pkg:deb/ubuntu/packagekit@1.1.9-1ubuntu2.18.04.6?arch=source&distro=bionic

Affected ranges

Type
ECOSYSTEM
Events
Introduced
0Unknown introduced version / All previous versions are affected
Fixed
1.1.9-1ubuntu2.18.04.6

Affected versions

1.*

1.1.7-1
1.1.9-1
1.1.9-1ubuntu1
1.1.9-1ubuntu2
1.1.9-1ubuntu2.18.04.1
1.1.9-1ubuntu2.18.04.3
1.1.9-1ubuntu2.18.04.4
1.1.9-1ubuntu2.18.04.5

Ecosystem specific 

{
    "binaries": [
        {
            "binary_version": "1.1.9-1ubuntu2.18.04.6",
            "binary_name": "gir1.2-packagekitglib-1.0"
        },
        {
            "binary_version": "1.1.9-1ubuntu2.18.04.6",
            "binary_name": "gstreamer1.0-packagekit"
        },
        {
            "binary_version": "1.1.9-1ubuntu2.18.04.6",
            "binary_name": "libpackagekit-glib2-18"
        },
        {
            "binary_version": "1.1.9-1ubuntu2.18.04.6",
            "binary_name": "libpackagekit-glib2-dev"
        },
        {
            "binary_version": "1.1.9-1ubuntu2.18.04.6",
            "binary_name": "packagekit"
        },
        {
            "binary_version": "1.1.9-1ubuntu2.18.04.6",
            "binary_name": "packagekit-command-not-found"
        },
        {
            "binary_version": "1.1.9-1ubuntu2.18.04.6",
            "binary_name": "packagekit-docs"
        },
        {
            "binary_version": "1.1.9-1ubuntu2.18.04.6",
            "binary_name": "packagekit-gtk3-module"
        },
        {
            "binary_version": "1.1.9-1ubuntu2.18.04.6",
            "binary_name": "packagekit-tools"
        }
    ],
    "availability": "No subscription required"
}

Database specific

cves_map

{
    "ecosystem": "Ubuntu:18.04:LTS",
    "cves": [
        {
            "severity": [
                {
                    "score": "CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N",
                    "type": "CVSS_V3"
                },
                {
                    "score": "CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N",
                    "type": "CVSS_V3"
                },
                {
                    "score": "low",
                    "type": "Ubuntu"
                }
            ],
            "id": "CVE-2020-16121"
        },
        {
            "severity": [
                {
                    "score": "CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H",
                    "type": "CVSS_V3"
                },
                {
                    "score": "CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H",
                    "type": "CVSS_V3"
                },
                {
                    "score": "medium",
                    "type": "Ubuntu"
                }
            ],
            "id": "CVE-2020-16122"
        }
    ]
}

Ubuntu:20.04:LTS / packagekit

Package

Name
packagekit
Purl
pkg:deb/ubuntu/packagekit@1.1.13-2ubuntu1.1?arch=source&distro=focal

Affected ranges

Type
ECOSYSTEM
Events
Introduced
0Unknown introduced version / All previous versions are affected
Fixed
1.1.13-2ubuntu1.1

Affected versions

1.*

1.1.12-5ubuntu4
1.1.13-1
1.1.13-2
1.1.13-2build1
1.1.13-2ubuntu1

Ecosystem specific 

{
    "binaries": [
        {
            "binary_version": "1.1.13-2ubuntu1.1",
            "binary_name": "gir1.2-packagekitglib-1.0"
        },
        {
            "binary_version": "1.1.13-2ubuntu1.1",
            "binary_name": "gstreamer1.0-packagekit"
        },
        {
            "binary_version": "1.1.13-2ubuntu1.1",
            "binary_name": "libpackagekit-glib2-18"
        },
        {
            "binary_version": "1.1.13-2ubuntu1.1",
            "binary_name": "libpackagekit-glib2-dev"
        },
        {
            "binary_version": "1.1.13-2ubuntu1.1",
            "binary_name": "packagekit"
        },
        {
            "binary_version": "1.1.13-2ubuntu1.1",
            "binary_name": "packagekit-command-not-found"
        },
        {
            "binary_version": "1.1.13-2ubuntu1.1",
            "binary_name": "packagekit-docs"
        },
        {
            "binary_version": "1.1.13-2ubuntu1.1",
            "binary_name": "packagekit-gtk3-module"
        },
        {
            "binary_version": "1.1.13-2ubuntu1.1",
            "binary_name": "packagekit-tools"
        }
    ],
    "availability": "No subscription required"
}

Database specific

cves_map

{
    "ecosystem": "Ubuntu:20.04:LTS",
    "cves": [
        {
            "severity": [
                {
                    "score": "CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N",
                    "type": "CVSS_V3"
                },
                {
                    "score": "CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N",
                    "type": "CVSS_V3"
                },
                {
                    "score": "low",
                    "type": "Ubuntu"
                }
            ],
            "id": "CVE-2020-16121"
        },
        {
            "severity": [
                {
                    "score": "CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H",
                    "type": "CVSS_V3"
                },
                {
                    "score": "CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H",
                    "type": "CVSS_V3"
                },
                {
                    "score": "medium",
                    "type": "Ubuntu"
                }
            ],
            "id": "CVE-2020-16122"
        }
    ]
}