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TI-2020-07151 Aliases CVE-2020-8903GHSA-29mh-jw46-2rf9

Priviged Escalation in Google Cloud Platform's Guest-OSLogin

Priority LOW 32CWE-276Published · Updated

Key facts

Attack vector
Local
Privileges required
Low
User interaction
Active
Attack complexity
High
Attack requirements
None
Impact type
—
Confidentiality · integrity · availability
High · High · High
Fix status
Fixed

Attack profile from CVSS 4.0 · CNA. Fix status from CNA.

Summary

A vulnerability in Google Cloud Platform's guest-oslogin versions between 20190304 and 20200507 allows a user that is only granted the role "roles/compute.osLogin" to escalate privileges to root. Using their membership to the "adm" group, users with this role are able to read the DHCP XID from the systemd journal. Using the DHCP XID, it is then possible to set the IP address and hostname of the instance to any value, which is then stored in /etc/hosts. An attacker can then point metadata.google.internal to an arbitrary IP address and impersonate the GCE metadata server which make it is possible to instruct the OS Login PAM module to grant administrative privileges. All images created after 2020-May-07 (20200507) are fixed, and if you cannot update, we recommend you edit /etc/group/security.conf and remove the "adm" user from the OS Login entry.

Why it matters now

EPSS 0.00315 24th percentileScored 2026-11-07
Public exploit Yes 1 exploit referenceTagged by NVD
Fix Fixed guest-oslogin (Google LLC): 20200507

SSVC decision points

Not available: CISA has not published SSVC decision points for this record.

Affected products

VendorProductAffected versionsFixed inStatusSource
Googleguest-oslogin20190304 to before 2020050720200507Patch availableCNA
  • guest-oslogin VendorGoogle Affected 20190304 to before 20200507 Fixed in 20200507 Patch available CNA

CPE configurations NVD · 3

CPEVersionsRoleVendor
cpe:2.3:a:google:guest-oslogin:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*20190304.00 – 20200507.00VulnerableGoogle
cpe:2.3:o:opensuse:leap:15.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*15.1VulnerableopenSUSE
cpe:2.3:o:opensuse:leap:15.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*15.2VulnerableopenSUSE
  • cpe:2.3:a:google:guest-oslogin:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 20190304.00 – 20200507.00 Vulnerable ·Google
  • cpe:2.3:o:opensuse:leap:15.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 15.1 Vulnerable ·openSUSE
  • cpe:2.3:o:opensuse:leap:15.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 15.2 Vulnerable ·openSUSE

Remediation

  • Fix · CNA guest-oslogin (Google LLC) Fixed in 20200507

Fixed in the same release

Records fixed by the same vendor advisory or release, as the CNA lists them.

  • Advisory ·

    Google guest-oslogin — openSUSE-SU-2020:0996

    3 records Highest priority Priority HIGH 1 HIGH, 1 MEDIUM, 1 LOW

    Other records, highest priority first

    • TI-2020-07154 Priviged Escalation in Google Cloud Platform's Guest-OSLoginPriority HIGH 75
    • TI-2020-07167 Priviged Escalation in Google Cloud Platform's Guest-OSLoginPriority MEDIUM 42
    Show all 3 records → Advisory →
  • Advisory ·

    Google guest-oslogin — openSUSE-SU-2020:1014

    3 records Highest priority Priority HIGH 1 HIGH, 1 MEDIUM, 1 LOW

    Other records, highest priority first

    • TI-2020-07154 Priviged Escalation in Google Cloud Platform's Guest-OSLoginPriority HIGH 75
    • TI-2020-07167 Priviged Escalation in Google Cloud Platform's Guest-OSLoginPriority MEDIUM 42
    Show all 3 records → Advisory →

Timeline

  1. 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2020-8903
  2. 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-29mh-jw46-2rf9

References

Exploit 1

Patch 1

Advisory 3

  • TI-2020-07154 Priviged Escalation in Google Cloud Platform's Guest-OSLogin CVSS 4.0CRITICAL 9.3
  • TI-2020-07167 Priviged Escalation in Google Cloud Platform's Guest-OSLogin CVSS 4.0CRITICAL 9.3

Sources

This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences