CVE-2021-20315: Medium severity gnome-shell vulnerability
A locking protection bypass flaw was found in some versions of gnome-shell as shipped within CentOS Stream 8, when the "Application menu" or "Window list" GNOME extensions are enabled. This flaw allows a physical attacker who has access to a locked system to kill existing applications and start new ones as the locked user, even if the session is still locked.
Other sources
When locking the screen the application menu bar and the window list at the bottom of the screen are visible. The user has the ability to kill open windows and also start applications when the machine is locked.
— Red Hat
Affected Software
Event History
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the vulnerability ID of this flaw?
The vulnerability ID of this flaw is CVE-2021-20315.
What is the affected software?
The affected software is GNOME gnome-shell and CentOS Stream 8.
What is the severity of CVE-2021-20315?
The severity of CVE-2021-20315 is medium.
How does this vulnerability bypass locking protection?
This vulnerability allows a physical attacker who has access to a locked system to kill existing applications and start new ones.
Is there a fix for this vulnerability?
Yes, please refer to the provided reference for information on the fix.