---
title: "CVE-2025-8941\n    | Ubuntu"
description: Ubuntu is an open source software operating system that runs from the
  desktop, to the cloud, to all your internet connected things.
url: https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2025-8941?format=md
keywords: index, follow
---

# CVE-2025-8941

Publication date 13 August 2025

Last updated 31 March 2026

---

Ubuntu priority

**Medium**

[Why this priority?](https://ubuntu.com/security/cves/about#priority )

## Cvss 3 Severity Score

**7.8 · High**

[Score breakdown](https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2025-8941?format=md#impact-score)

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## Description

A flaw was found in linux-pam. The pam\_namespace module may improperly
handle user-controlled paths, allowing local users to exploit symlink
attacks and race conditions to elevate their privileges to root. This CVE
provides a "complete" fix for CVE-2025-6020.

[Read the notes from the security team](https://ubuntu.com/security/CVE-2025-8941?format=md#notes)

## Status

Show unmaintained releases

| Package | Ubuntu Release | Status |
| --- | --- | --- |
| pam | 25.10 questing | Not affected |
| 25.04 plucky | Ignored end of life, was not-affected (see notes) [2026-01-05] |
| 24.04 LTS noble | Not affected |
| 22.04 LTS jammy | Not affected |
| 20.04 LTS focal | Not affected |
| 18.04 LTS bionic | Not affected |
| 16.04 LTS xenial | Not affected |
| 14.04 LTS trusty | Not affected |

---

* [How can I get the fixes?](https://ubuntu.com/security/cves/about#security)
* [What do statuses mean?](https://ubuntu.com/security/cves/about#statuses)

## Notes

---

### [mdeslaur](https://launchpad.net/~mdeslaur)

This CVE appear to be a Red Hat specific incomplete fix due to
the use of preliminary and/or incomplete patches for
CVE-2025-6020.
See:
https://git.rockylinux.org/staging/rpms/pam/-/commit/44aa163026f05df91429ffcae635944264e3e85f

## Severity score breakdown

CVSS version:
CVSS v3.0

**Base score**

7.8 · High

* Base metrics

  | Parameter | Value |
  | --- | --- |
  | Attack vector | Local |
  | Attack complexity | Low |
  | Privileges required | Low |
  | User interaction | None |
  | Scope | Unchanged |
  | Confidentiality impact | High |
  | Integrity impact | High |
  | Availability impact | High |
* Scores

  | Parameter | Value |
  | --- | --- |
  | Base score | 7.8 · High |
  | Exploitability score | - |
  | Impact score | - |

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

## References

* [MITRE](https://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2025-8941)
* [NVD](https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-8941)
* [Launchpad](https://launchpad.net/bugs/cve/CVE-2025-8941)
* [Debian](https://security-tracker.debian.org/tracker/CVE-2025-8941)

### Other references

* <https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2025-8941>
* <https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2025-8941>