cups: ownership of /var/log/cups allows the lp user to create files as root
A Incorrect Default Permissions vulnerability in the packaging of cups of SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 11-SP4-LTSS, SUSE Manager Server 4.0, SUSE OpenStack Cloud Crowbar 9; openSUSE Leap 15.2, Factory allows local attackers with control of the lp users to create files as root with 0644 permissions without the ability to set the content. This issue affects: SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 11-SP4-LTSS cups versions prior to 1.3.9. SUSE Manager Server 4.0 cups versions prior to 2.2.7. SUSE OpenStack Cloud Crowbar 9 cups versions prior to 1.7.5. openSUSE Leap 15.2 cups versions prior to 2.2.7. openSUSE Factory cups version 2.3.3op2-2.1 and prior versions.
- Published
- May 5, 2021
- Updated
- Jun 16, 2026
- EPSS
- 0.3% · 17th percentile
- CWE
- CWE-276
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Report tools
Action score
13
Monitor
Low priority for now.
- CVSS
- 13 / 40 · 3.3 / 10
- CISA KEV
- 0 / 30 · Not listed
- EPSS
- 0 / 30 · 0.3%
CNA vs NVD score
- NVD
- 3.3
- CNA · suse
- 3.3
- agree
The score given by the assigning authority versus NVD’s independent score. A gap means the severity is contested.
Affected systems
| Vendor | Product | CPE |
|---|---|---|
| suse | cups | cpe:2.3:a:suse:cups |
| suse | linux enterprise server | cpe:2.3:o:suse:linux_enterprise_server |
| suse | manager server | cpe:2.3:a:suse:manager_server |
| suse | openstack cloud crowbar | cpe:2.3:a:suse:openstack_cloud_crowbar |
| fedoraproject | fedora | cpe:2.3:o:fedoraproject:fedora |
| opensuse | leap | cpe:2.3:o:opensuse:leap |
| opensuse | factory | cpe:2.3:a:opensuse:factory |
Affected versions
NVD version ranges (for catalog products). Add the product to your stack with a version and matching uses these.
- fedoraproject fedora32
- fedoraproject fedora33
- fedoraproject fedora34
- suse cupsbefore 1.3.9
- suse cupsbefore 2.2.7
- suse cupsbefore 1.7.5
- suse cupsup to 2.3.3op2-2.1 inclusive
Versions reported by the vendor
Affected version ranges reported by the assigning authority (suse). Independent of NVD's CPE analysis and usually ahead of it.
openSUSE Factory
- cups and later · up to and including 2.3.3op2-2.1affected
openSUSE openSUSE Leap 15.2
- cups and later · before 2.2.7affected
SUSE SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 11-SP4-LTSS
- cups and later · before 1.3.9affected
SUSE SUSE Manager Server 4.0
- cups and later · before 2.2.7affected
SUSE SUSE OpenStack Cloud Crowbar 9
- cups and later · before 1.7.5affected
Package-level exposure
OSV and GitHub Advisory data: ecosystem, package and range. SBOM matching uses this table.
| Ecosystem | Package | Affected range | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| openSUSE:Leap 15.2 | cups | before 2.2.7-lp152.9.9.1 | 2.2.7-lp152.9.9.1 |
| openSUSE:Tumbleweed | cups | before 2.3.3op2-4.2 | 2.3.3op2-4.2 |
| SUSE:HPE Helion OpenStack 8 | cups | before 1.7.5-20.36.1 | 1.7.5-20.36.1 |
| SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Basesystem 15 SP2 | cups | before 2.2.7-3.26.1 | 2.2.7-3.26.1 |
| SUSE:Linux Enterprise Point of Sale 11 SP3 | cups | before 1.3.9-8.46.56.18.1 | 1.3.9-8.46.56.18.1 |
Remediation
Which version to upgrade to
Fix versions compiled from the vendor, package registries and Microsoft. Verify the vendor's note before upgrading.
| Product / package | Fixed version | Source |
|---|---|---|
| opensuse:cups | 2.2.7-lp152.9.9.1 · openSUSE:Leap 15.2 | Package registry (OSV) |
| suse:cups | 1.7.5-20.36.1 · SUSE:HPE Helion OpenStack 8 | Package registry (OSV) |
Exploit status
No known public exploit
No public exploit has been observed yet. That doesn't mean you're safe, only that the bar is a little higher.
Research context
For pentesters and researchers: attack profile, score disagreement, timeline, patch commits, credits, variant and chain candidates, bug bounty scope. All derived from existing data; no exploit code.
Timeline
From publication to today: proof of concept, Metasploit module, CISA KEV and fix record. Dates are as reported by the sources.
No dated events beyond publication.
FIRST EPSS daily score; only changes of 0.01 or more are recorded (step chart).
Patch and commit links
Commit, PR and diff links among the references. A starting point for patch-diffing and variant hunting; fixes, not exploits.
No commit or PR link among the references.
Credits
All researchersFinders, reporters and analysts named in the CNA record. Click a name for that researcher’s other records.
Variant candidates
Same product, same weakness class, within 18 months. If the patch missed the root cause, the sibling bug is here.
No nightly-computed relations.
Chain candidates
An authentication bypass and a privilege-requiring bug in the same product, published close together: combined they may become an unauthenticated path.
—
Bug bounty scope
No known public program.
Source: bounty-targets-data (public HackerOne, Bugcrowd, Intigriti, YesWeHack listings).
Technical details
Attack conditions
- Someone with local access to the system can trigger it.
- A low-privileged account is enough.
- No user action is required.
- No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.
If successful
- Confidentiality
- none
- Integrity
- low · data or configuration can be modified
- Availability
- none
- Attack vector
- Local
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Privileges required
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality impact
- None
- Integrity impact
- Low
- Availability impact
- None
Weakness class (CWE)
CWE-276 · Incorrect Default PermissionsCVSS vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:N
nvd-primary
Attack context
MITRE CAPEC attack patterns and ATT&CK techniques for this weakness class (CWE). A starting point for detection rules and threat hunting.
Attack patterns (CAPEC)
Noroxi analysis
No Noroxi analysis for this record yet
We don't hand-write analysis for all 385,000+ vulnerabilities; that wouldn't be honest. For notable, high-impact vulnerabilities our team writes the mechanism, detection and remediation steps.
We use this product, ask for helpChange log
- Fix✗ → ✓
For records you follow, these changes also arrive as notifications. →
References
- bugzilla.suse.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1184161
- lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/GWPGZLT3U776Q5YPPSA6LGFWWBDWBVH3/
- lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/H74BP746O5NNVCBUTLLZYAFBPESFVECV/
- lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/S37IDQGHTORQ3Z6VRDQIGBYVOI27YG47/
Vendor advisories and official records. Exploit/PoC links are deliberately left out.