# CVE-2022-21944: watchman: chown in watchman@.socket unit allows symlink attack

> Local attackers can escalate to root via symlink attack in watchman systemd unit; openSUSE users should upgrade.

- **Severity:** High 7.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 26 Jan 2022
- **Updated:** 16 Sep 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-rg42-3854-x575, openSUSE-SU-2022:0016-1, openSUSE-SU-2024:11728-1

## What is CVE-2022-21944?

CVE-2022-21944 is a high-severity path traversal vulnerability in openSUSE Factory, published on 26 Jan 2022. 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 systemd service file for watchman of openSUSE Backports SLE-15-SP3, Factory allows local attackers to escalate to root. This issue affects: openSUSE Backports SLE-15-SP3 watchman versions prior to 4.9.0. openSUSE Factory watchman versions prior to 4.9.0-9.1.

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

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2022-21944?

It affects 1 product.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `watchman` | SUSE:Package Hub 15 SP3 | All versions | 4.9.0-bp153.2.3.1 |
| `watchman` | openSUSE:Leap 15.3 | All versions | 4.9.0-bp153.2.3.1 |

Products: Opensuse Factory Watchman.

## How do I fix CVE-2022-21944?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

## Is CVE-2022-21944 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2022-21944 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2022-21944 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2022-21944 is a high-severity path traversal vulnerability in openSUSE Factory, published on 26 Jan 2022. 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-2022-21944 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: openSUSE Factory. 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-2022-21944/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-21944/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2022-21944
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2022-21944
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2022-21944

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-21944/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.