CVE-2021-25317

Root-owned file creation via log-directory symlink attack

Published May 5, 2021 · Updated Sep 17, 2024

Incorrect permissions in packaged CUPS on affected SUSE and openSUSE releases allow local users in the lp group to create root-owned files. The lp-owned /var/log/cups directory permits a controlled symlink to redirect root CUPS log-file creation, producing a root-owned mode-0644 file without attacker-controlled content. Membership in the lp group and local access are required; integrity impact is limited to file creation rather than arbitrary content writes.

CVSS severity3.3
Low
EPSS probability0.27%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Incorrect permissions in packaged CUPS on affected SUSE and openSUSE releases allow local users in the lp group to create root-owned files. The lp-owned /var/log/cups directory permits a controlled symlink to redirect root CUPS log-file creation, producing a root-owned mode-0644 file without attacker-controlled content. Membership in the lp group and local access are required; integrity impact is limited to file creation rather than arbitrary content writes.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-25317
Published
May 5, 2021
Updated
Sep 17, 2024
Vendor
OpenSUSE
Product
openSUSE Leap
Classifications
CWE-276, T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. May 5, 2021CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Sep 17, 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=cups <2.2.7

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

OpenSUSE · openSUSE Leapversion=cups <2.2.7
NeuVector · SUSE OpenStack Cloud Crowbarversion=cups <1.7.5
NeuVector · SUSE Manager Serverversion=cups <2.2.7
NeuVector · SUSE Linux Enterprise Serverversion=cups <1.3.9
OpenSUSE · openSUSE Factoryversion=cups <=2.3.3op2-2.1

Published CVSS scores

3.3SUSECVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:N
2.1NVDAV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:N/I:P/A:N

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 exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-276Incorrect Default Permissions
T1068Exploitation for Privilege Escalation

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

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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