CVE-2025-8941

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.

This vulnerability in pam_namespace is rated Important because it allows a local, unprivileged user to escalate privileges to root by exploiting symlink attacks or race conditions in polyinstantiated directories under their control. Successful exploitation requires only the ability to create and manipulate filesystem paths in such directories, without the need for special capabilities or kernel-level vulnerabilities. In multi-user environments—such as shared systems, terminal servers, or certain container deployments, an unprotected or misconfigured pam_namespace configuration can serve as a single point of compromise. Privilege escalation flaws of this nature may also be chained with other vulnerabilities to maintain persistence or evade detection, further increasing the overall impact.

The CVSS score(s) listed for this vulnerability do not reflect the associated product's status, and are included for informational purposes to better understand the severity of this vulnerability.

Disable the pam_namespace module if it is not essential for your environment, or carefully review and configure it to avoid operating on any directories or paths that can be influenced or controlled by unprivileged users, such as user home directories or world-writable locations like /tmp.