# CVE-2019-18901: mysql-systemd-helper allows setting 640 permissions of arbitrary files

> Local attackers can exploit symlink following in mysql-systemd-helper to change permissions of arbitrary files to 0640, potentially exposing sensitive data.

- **Severity:** Medium 5.1 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:L`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 2 Mar 2020
- **Updated:** 17 Sep 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-xhr6-cwm7-hfr4

## What is CVE-2019-18901?

CVE-2019-18901 is a medium-severity path traversal vulnerability in Opensuse Leap, published on 2 Mar 2020. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

A UNIX Symbolic Link (Symlink) Following vulnerability in the mysql-systemd-helper of the mariadb packaging of SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 12, SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 allows local attackers to change the permissions of arbitrary files to 0640. This issue affects: SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 12 mariadb versions prior to 10.2.31-3.25.1. SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 15 mariadb versions prior to 10.2.31-3.26.1.

Weakness: CWE-59 (Improper Link Resolution Before File Access)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2019-18901?

It affects 2 products.


Products: Opensuse Leap, Suse Linux Enterprise Server.

## How do I fix CVE-2019-18901?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2019-18901 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2019-18901 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Opensuse Leap

- [CVE-2015-4902](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2015-4902/): Oracle Java SE Integrity Check (medium 5.3, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2017-14804](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-14804/): package builds could use directory traversal to write outside of target area (critical 9.9)
- [CVE-2019-20787](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-20787/): Teeworlds before 0.7.4 has an integer overflow when computing a tilemap size. (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2019-8341](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-8341/): Code injection in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2019-6438](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-6438/): Other in n/a (critical 9.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2019-18901 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2019-18901 is a medium-severity path traversal vulnerability in Opensuse Leap, published on 2 Mar 2020. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2019-18901 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Opensuse Leap. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-18901/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-18901/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2019-18901
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2019-18901
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2019-18901

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-18901/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.