CVE-2022-21944

Root escalation via symlink-following chown

Published Jan 26, 2022 · Updated Sep 16, 2024

Symlink following in openSUSE watchman before 4.9.0 or 4.9.0-9.1 allows local users to gain root access through a systemd unit. The [email protected] template invokes chown during creation of /run/watchman/$USER-state without preventing that user-controlled path from resolving through a symbolic link. Access requires a low-privileged local account and an affected package: before 4.9.0 in Backports SLE-15-SP3 or 4.9.0-9.1 in Factory.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.29%
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 openSUSE watchman before 4.9.0 or 4.9.0-9.1 allows local users to gain root access through a systemd unit. The [email protected] template invokes chown during creation of /run/watchman/$USER-state without preventing that user-controlled path from resolving through a symbolic link. Access requires a low-privileged local account and an affected package: before 4.9.0 in Backports SLE-15-SP3 or 4.9.0-9.1 in Factory.

The record

CVE
CVE-2022-21944
Published
Jan 26, 2022
Updated
Sep 16, 2024
Vendor
OpenSUSE
Product
openSUSE Backports SLE-15-SP3
Classifications
CWE-59, T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jan 26, 2022CVE 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=watchman <4.9.0

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

OpenSUSE · openSUSE Backports SLE-15-SP3version=watchman <4.9.0
OpenSUSE · openSUSE Factoryversion=watchman <4.9.0-9.1

Published CVSS scores

7.2NVDAV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C
7.8SUSECVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
7.8NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

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.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-59Improper Link Resolution Before File Access ('Link Following')
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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