CVE-2020-27985
Status: ModifiedHigh (7.8)—
Security Onion v2 prior to 2.3.10 has an incorrect sudo configuration, which allows the administrative user to obtain root access without using the sudo password by editing and executing /home/<user>/SecurityOnion/setup/so-setup.
CVSS
- Version: 3.1
- Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
- Base score: 7.8
Exploitation probability (EPSS)
- Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days: 0.53%
- Percentile among all scored CVEs: 43
- Score date: 10/9/2026
EPSS (Exploit Prediction Scoring System, FIRST) estimates how likely a vulnerability is to be exploited in the wild within 30 days. It complements CVSS (impact) and CISA KEV (confirmed exploitation).
Affected technologies (1)
CWEs
- CWE-306
References
- https://github.com/Security-Onion-Solutions/securityonion/commit/b14670030349a2747a00ace665568ab5f51ac47b
- https://github.com/Security-Onion-Solutions/securityonion/releases
- https://s1gh.sh/cve-2020-27985-security-onion-local-privilege-escalation/
- https://github.com/Security-Onion-Solutions/securityonion/commit/b14670030349a2747a00ace665568ab5f51ac47b
- https://github.com/Security-Onion-Solutions/securityonion/releases
- https://s1gh.sh/cve-2020-27985-security-onion-local-privilege-escalation/
Raw JSON (NVD)
Show
{
"id": "CVE-2020-27985",
"cveTags": [],
"metrics": {
"cvssMetricV2": [
{
"type": "Primary",
"source": "nvd@nist.gov",
"cvssData": {
"version": "2.0",
"baseScore": 7.2,
"accessVector": "LOCAL",
"vectorString": "AV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C",
"authentication": "NONE",
"integrityImpact": "COMPLETE",
"accessComplexity": "LOW",
"availabilityImpact": "COMPLETE",
"confidentialityImpact": "COMPLETE"
},
"acInsufInfo": false,
"impactScore": 10,
"baseSeverity": "HIGH",
"obtainAllPrivilege": false,
"exploitabilityScore": 3.9,
"obtainUserPrivilege": false,
"obtainOtherPrivilege": false,
"userInteractionRequired": false
}
],
"cvssMetricV31": [
{
"type": "Primary",
"source": "nvd@nist.gov",
"cvssData": {
"scope": "UNCHANGED",
"version": "3.1",
"baseScore": 7.8,
"attackVector": "LOCAL",
"baseSeverity": "HIGH",
"vectorString": "CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H",
"integrityImpact": "HIGH",
"userInteraction": "NONE",
"attackComplexity": "LOW",
"availabilityImpact": "HIGH",
"privilegesRequired": "LOW",
"confidentialityImpact": "HIGH"
},
"impactScore": 5.9,
"exploitabilityScore": 1.8
}
]
},
"affected": [
{
"source": "cve@mitre.org",
"affectedData": [
{
"vendor": "n/a",
"product": "n/a",
"versions": [
{
"status": "affected",
"version": "n/a"
}
]
}
]
}
],
"published": "2020-11-23T14:15:12.187",
"references": [
{
"url": "https://github.com/Security-Onion-Solutions/securityonion/commit/b14670030349a2747a00ace665568ab5f51ac47b",
"tags": [
"Patch",
"Third Party Advisory"
],
"source": "cve@mitre.org"
},
{
"url": "https://github.com/Security-Onion-Solutions/securityonion/releases",
"tags": [
"Release Notes",
"Third Party Advisory"
],
"source": "cve@mitre.org"
},
{
"url": "https://s1gh.sh/cve-2020-27985-security-onion-local-privilege-escalation/",
"tags": [
"Exploit",
"Patch",
"Third Party Advisory"
],
"source": "cve@mitre.org"
},
{
"url": "https://github.com/Security-Onion-Solutions/securityonion/commit/b14670030349a2747a00ace665568ab5f51ac47b",
"tags": [
"Patch",
"Third Party Advisory"
],
"source": "af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108"
},
{
"url": "https://github.com/Security-Onion-Solutions/securityonion/releases",
"tags": [
"Release Notes",
"Third Party Advisory"
],
"source": "af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108"
},
{
"url": "https://s1gh.sh/cve-2020-27985-security-onion-local-privilege-escalation/",
"tags": [
"Exploit",
"Patch",
"Third Party Advisory"
],
"source": "af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108"
}
],
"vulnStatus": "Modified",
"weaknesses": [
{
"type": "Primary",
"source": "nvd@nist.gov",
"description": [
{
"lang": "en",
"value": "CWE-306"
}
]
}
],
"descriptions": [
{
"lang": "en",
"value": "Security Onion v2 prior to 2.3.10 has an incorrect sudo configuration, which allows the administrative user to obtain root access without using the sudo password by editing and executing /home/<user>/SecurityOnion/setup/so-setup."
},
{
"lang": "es",
"value": "Security Onion versiones v2 anteriores a 2.3.10, presenta una configuración de sudo incorrecta, que permite al usuario administrador obtener acceso de root sin utilizar la contraseña de sudo editando y ejecutando /home/(user)/ SecurityOnion/setup/so-setup"
}
],
"lastModified": "2026-06-17T03:09:57.617",
"configurations": [
{
"nodes": [
{
"negate": false,
"cpeMatch": [
{
"criteria": "cpe:2.3:a:securityonionsolutions:security_onion:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
"vulnerable": true,
"matchCriteriaId": "8A201DB2-6351-4BBC-A5D5-4A447235DFC7",
"versionEndExcluding": "2.3.10",
"versionStartIncluding": "2.0.0"
}
],
"operator": "OR"
}
]
}
],
"sourceIdentifier": "cve@mitre.org"
}