CVE-2020-16121

Name: CVE-2020-16121
Creator: NVD / NIST
Published: 2020-11-07T04:15:12.053+00:00
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/

LOWCVSS 3.3/10EPSS 0.46%

Last modified Jun 17, 2026

CVE-2020-16121 is a low-severity vulnerability rated 3.3/10 on the CVSS scale. PackageKit provided detailed error messages to unprivileged callers that exposed information about file presence and mimetype of files that the user would be unable to determine on its own.. EPSS estimates a 0.46% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days.

Description

PackageKit provided detailed error messages to unprivileged callers that exposed information about file presence and mimetype of files that the user would be unable to determine on its own.

Metrics

CVSS 3.1

3.3/10

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N

EPSS Probability

0.46%

36.6th percentile

Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days. Learn more

Weakness Enumeration

Affected Software

Vendor	Product	Versions
Packagekit Project	Packagekit	All versions
Canonical	Ubuntu Linux	20.04

References

https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/packagekit/+bug/1888887Issue Tracking, Third Party Advisory
https://www.eyecontrol.nl/blog/the-story-of-3-cves-in-ubuntu-desktop.htmlExploit, Third Party Advisory
https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/packagekit/+bug/1888887Issue Tracking, Third Party Advisory
https://www.eyecontrol.nl/blog/the-story-of-3-cves-in-ubuntu-desktop.htmlExploit, Third Party Advisory

Timeline

Published: Nov 7, 2020
Last Modified: Jun 17, 2026
Status: Modified

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2020-16121?

PackageKit provided detailed error messages to unprivileged callers that exposed information about file presence and mimetype of files that the user would be unable to determine on its own.

How severe is CVE-2020-16121?

CVE-2020-16121 has a CVSS score of 3.3/10 (LOW severity). The EPSS model estimates a 0.46% probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

How do I fix CVE-2020-16121?

Check the vendor references and advisories linked above for patched versions and mitigation guidance. You can also run a Strix scan to test if your systems are affected.

Are you affected by CVE-2020-16121?

Run a free Strix scan to check your systems for this vulnerability.

Scan your code now

Source: NVD / NIST