CVE-2019-3692Public exploit

Local root escalation via unsafe log-file chown

Published Jan 24, 2020 · Updated Sep 16, 2024

Symlink following in affected SUSE and openSUSE INN packages allows local users controlling the news account to gain root access. The root-run package post-install script touches and chowns fixed log paths in news-writable /var/log/news without preventing link targets. The news account can replace a named log with a link so package reinstallation changes ownership of an attacker-chosen file; hard-link exploitation additionally requires fs.protected_hardlinks=0.

CVSS severity7.7
High
EPSS probability0.50%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Symlink following in affected SUSE and openSUSE INN packages allows local users controlling the news account to gain root access. The root-run package post-install script touches and chowns fixed log paths in news-writable /var/log/news without preventing link targets. The news account can replace a named log with a link so package reinstallation changes ownership of an attacker-chosen file; hard-link exploitation additionally requires fs.protected_hardlinks=0.

The record

CVE
CVE-2019-3692
Published
Jan 24, 2020
Updated
Sep 16, 2024
Vendor
OpenSUSE
Product
openSUSE Leap
Classifications
CWE-59, T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jan 24, 2020CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Sep 16, 2024Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=inn <=2.5.4-lp151.2.47

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

OpenSUSE · openSUSE Leapversion=inn <=2.5.4-lp151.2.47
SUSE · SUSE Linux Enterprise Serverversion=inn <=2.4.2-170.21.3.1
OpenSUSE · openSUSE Factoryversion=inn <=2.6.2-2.2

Published CVSS scores

7.8NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
7.7SUSE CNACVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N
7.0SUSECVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
7.2NIST NVDAV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

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No observations available

Sep 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-59Improper Link Resolution Before File Access ('Link Following')
T1068Exploitation for Privilege Escalation

Public exploit references

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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