init_tmp in TeeJee.FileSystem.vala in Timeshift before 20.03 unsafely reuses a…
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Local
- Privileges required
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- High
- Impact type
- —
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- High · High · High
- Fix status
- No fix listed
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · NVD. Fix status from CNA.
Summary
init_tmp in TeeJee.FileSystem.vala in Timeshift before 20.03 unsafely reuses a preexisting temporary directory in the predictable location /tmp/timeshift. It follows symlinks in this location or uses directories owned by unprivileged users. Because Timeshift also executes scripts under this location, an attacker can attempt to win a race condition to replace scripts created by Timeshift with attacker-controlled scripts. Upon success, an attacker-controlled script is executed with full root privileges. This logic is practically always triggered when Timeshift runs regardless of the command-line arguments used.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
Not available: CISA has not published SSVC decision points for this record.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | — | all versions | — | No fix listed | CNA |
- — Vendor— Affected all versions Fixed in — No fix listed CNA
CPE configurations NVD · 5
| CPE | Versions | Role | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpe:2.3:a:timeshift_project:timeshift:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | before 20.03 | Vulnerable | Timeshift Project |
| cpe:2.3:o:fedoraproject:fedora:30:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 30 | Vulnerable | Fedoraproject |
| cpe:2.3:o:fedoraproject:fedora:31:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 31 | Vulnerable | Fedoraproject |
| cpe:2.3:o:fedoraproject:fedora:32:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 32 | Vulnerable | Fedoraproject |
| cpe:2.3:o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:19.10:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 19.10 | Vulnerable | Canonical |
- cpe:2.3:a:timeshift_project:timeshift:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions before 20.03 Vulnerable ·Timeshift Project
- cpe:2.3:o:fedoraproject:fedora:30:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 30 Vulnerable ·Fedoraproject
- cpe:2.3:o:fedoraproject:fedora:31:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 31 Vulnerable ·Fedoraproject
- cpe:2.3:o:fedoraproject:fedora:32:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 32 Vulnerable ·Fedoraproject
- cpe:2.3:o:canonical:ubuntu_linux:19.10:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 19.10 Vulnerable ·Canonical
Remediation
No fixed version listed by the sources yet.
Vendor assessments
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2020-10174
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-mw9g-hwpr-h3rv
References
Advisory 7
- https://bugzilla.suse.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1165802
- https://github.com/teejee2008/timeshift/releases/tag/v20.03
- [oss-security] 20200306 CVE-2020-10174: timeshift: arbitrary local code execution due to unsafe usage of temporary directory in /tmp/timeshift
- FEDORA-2020-c18248f61a
- FEDORA-2020-6b3ae09449
- FEDORA-2020-1050d60507
- USN-4312-1
Sources
- CVE-2020-10174 · CVE Program
- CVE-2020-10174 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-mw9g-hwpr-h3rv · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2020-10174 · Red Hat security data · CC BY 4.0
This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences