# CVE-2022-31256: sendmail: mail to root privilege escalation via sm-client.pre script > Local attackers can escalate privileges from mail user to root via improper link resolution in the sendmail systemd service script. - **Severity:** High 7.7 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:N`) - **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:** 26 Oct 2022 - **Updated:** 9 May 2025 - **Also known as:** GHSA-cfgc-fgg8-p3qf, SUSE-SU-2022:3898-1, SUSE-SU-2022:3899-1 ## What is CVE-2022-31256? CVE-2022-31256 is a high-severity vulnerability in openSUSE Factory, published on 26 Oct 2022. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim. ### Official description A Improper Link Resolution Before File Access ('Link Following') vulnerability in a script called by the sendmail systemd service of openSUSE Factory allows local attackers to escalate from user mail to root. This issue affects: SUSE openSUSE Factory sendmail versions prior to 8.17.1-1.1. Weakness: CWE-59 (Improper Link Resolution Before File Access) ## Which versions are affected by CVE-2022-31256? It affects 1 product. | Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | `sendmail` | SUSE:Enterprise Storage 6 | All versions | 8.15.2-150000.8.9.1 | | `sendmail` | SUSE:Enterprise Storage 7 | All versions | 8.15.2-150000.8.9.1 | | `sendmail` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15 SP1-ESPOS | All versions | 8.15.2-150000.8.9.1 | | `sendmail` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15 SP1-LTSS | All versions | 8.15.2-150000.8.9.1 | | `sendmail` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15 SP2-ESPOS | All versions | 8.15.2-150000.8.9.1 | | `sendmail` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15 SP2-LTSS | All versions | 8.15.2-150000.8.9.1 | | `sendmail` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15-ESPOS | All versions | 8.15.2-150000.8.9.1 | | `sendmail` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15-LTSS | All versions | 8.15.2-150000.8.9.1 | | `sendmail` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Basesystem 15 SP3 | All versions | 8.15.2-150000.8.9.1 | | `sendmail` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Basesystem 15 SP4 | All versions | 8.15.2-150000.8.9.1 | | `sendmail` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Legacy 12 | All versions | 8.14.9-4.6.1 | | `sendmail` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Package Hub 15 SP3 | All versions | 8.15.2-150000.8.9.1 | | `sendmail` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Package Hub 15 SP4 | All versions | 8.15.2-150000.8.9.1 | | `sendmail` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP1-BCL | All versions | 8.15.2-150000.8.9.1 | | `sendmail` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP1-LTSS | All versions | 8.15.2-150000.8.9.1 | | `sendmail` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP2-BCL | All versions | 8.15.2-150000.8.9.1 | | `sendmail` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 15 SP2-LTSS | All versions | 8.15.2-150000.8.9.1 | | `sendmail` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 15-LTSS | All versions | 8.15.2-150000.8.9.1 | | `sendmail` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 15 | All versions | 8.15.2-150000.8.9.1 | | `sendmail` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 15 SP1 | All versions | 8.15.2-150000.8.9.1 | | `sendmail` | SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server for SAP Applications 15 SP2 | All versions | 8.15.2-150000.8.9.1 | | `sendmail` | SUSE:Manager Proxy 4.1 | All versions | 8.15.2-150000.8.9.1 | | `sendmail` | SUSE:Manager Retail Branch Server 4.1 | All versions | 8.15.2-150000.8.9.1 | | `sendmail` | SUSE:Manager Server 4.1 | All versions | 8.15.2-150000.8.9.1 | | `sendmail` | openSUSE:Leap 15.3 | All versions | 8.15.2-150000.8.9.1 | | `sendmail` | openSUSE:Leap 15.4 | All versions | 8.15.2-150000.8.9.1 | Products: Opensuse Factory. ## How do I fix CVE-2022-31256? Apply the vendor's patch. ## Is CVE-2022-31256 being exploited? There is no known exploitation of CVE-2022-31256 in the wild and no public exploit code. ## Other vulnerabilities in openSUSE Factory - [CVE-2021-25319](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-25319/): virtualbox: missing sticky bit for /etc/vbox allows local root exploit for members of vboxusers group (high 7.8) - [CVE-2022-31251](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-31251/): slurm: %post for slurm-testsuite operates as root in user owned directory (medium 6.5) - [CVE-2021-36781](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-36781/): parsec: dangerous 777 permissions for /run/parsec (medium 5.9) ## Fix prompt for AI coding agents ```text Check this codebase for CVE-2022-31256 and fix it if it is affected. What it is: CVE-2022-31256 is a high-severity vulnerability in openSUSE Factory, published on 26 Oct 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-2022-31256 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-2022-31256/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-31256/index.md) ``` ## Sources - CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2022-31256 - NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2022-31256 - OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2022-31256 --- From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-31256/ Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.