Advanced Package ToolApplication · Debian
CVE-2020-27350
Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.
NVD · uneditedAPT had several integer overflows and underflows while parsing .deb packages, aka GHSL-2020-168 GHSL-2020-169, in files apt-pkg/contrib/extracttar.cc, apt-pkg/deb/debfile.cc, and apt-pkg/contrib/arfile.cc. This issue affects: apt 1.2.32ubuntu0 versions prior to 1.2.32ubuntu0.2; 1.6.12ubuntu0 versions prior to 1.6.12ubuntu0.2; 2.0.2ubuntu0 versions prior to 2.0.2ubuntu0.2; 2.1.10ubuntu0 versions prior to 2.1.10ubuntu0.1;
Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.
dbcve analysis · high confidenceAPT (Advanced Package Tool) contains integer overflow and underflow vulnerabilities in its .deb package parsing code (extracttar.cc, debfile.cc, arfile.cc). These flaws occur when parsing maliciously crafted .deb packages, potentially causing memory corruption or enabling arbitrary code execution during package installation.
Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.
Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.
NVD · CPE data
Advanced Package ToolApplication
>= 1.2.32ubuntu0, < 1.2.32ubuntu0.2>= 1.6.12ubuntu0, < 1.6.12ubuntu0.2>= 2.0.2ubuntu0, < 2.0.2ubuntu0.2>= 2.1.10ubuntu0, < 2.1.10ubuntu0.2< 1.8.2.2all versionsCVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.
From the vector- Attack vector
- Local
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges
- High
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Changed
- Confidentiality
- Low
- Integrity
- Low
- Availability
- Low
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:L
Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.
dbcve checksWork through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.
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Check APT version on Debian or UbuntuRun 'apt --version' or 'dpkg -s apt' to retrieve the installed APT version numberAffected if version is 1.2.32ubuntu0 through 1.2.32ubuntu0.1, or 1.6.12ubuntu0 through 1.6.12ubuntu0.1, or 2.0.2ubuntu0 through 2.0.2ubuntu0.1, or 2.1.10ubuntu0 through 2.1.10ubuntu0.1, or any version below 1.8.2.2 on non-Ubuntu Debian systems
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Identify APT package sourceCheck if the system uses Ubuntu or Debian by running 'lsb_release -a' or checking /etc/os-releaseAffected if the system is Ubuntu or Debian and APT version falls within the affected ranges listed above
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Check NetApp Solidfire BMC firmware versionAccess the Baseboard Management Controller web interface or use IPMI/Redfish command 'ipmiutil fru -v' or 'redfish /Managers/1' to query the firmware versionAffected if any version of NetApp Solidfire Baseboard Management Controller Firmware is installed (all versions are affected)
The environment is affected if APT version matches any of the vulnerable Ubuntu/Debian ranges, or if any version of NetApp Solidfire BMC firmware is running.
Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.
Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.
From vendor data1.2.32ubuntu0.21.6.12ubuntu0.21.8.2.2
Update APT to the patched versions: 1.2.32ubuntu0.2, 1.6.12ubuntu0.2, 2.0.2ubuntu0.2, 2.1.10ubuntu0.1 or later. Avoid installing .deb packages from untrusted sources until patched.
Fix this in Advanced Package Tool
Scoped from the published advisory
- Consultation2.0 h
- Implementation1.0 h
- Testing2.0 h
- Review / QA1.0 h
An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $1,696.
Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2020-27350 — or any other known-vulnerable package — straight from your lock files. Free and open source; it runs locally and uploads nothing.
References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.
Primary sourcesPractitioner notes
ContributedPeer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2020-27350 in production — separate from our analysis above.
The advisory tells you what broke. It rarely tells you what actually worked. If you’ve dealt with this one, that detail is what the next engineer is searching for.
- The version that genuinely resolved it — not the one the vendor claimed
- A config change or rule that shut the vector down
- A gotcha in the upgrade path that cost you an afternoon
No notes yet
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- Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
- Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
- No weaponised exploit code, or anything meant to cause harm
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