# CVE-2025-23394: daily-backup.sh script in cyrus-imapd allows escalation from cyrus to root

> A symlink following vulnerability in the daily-backup.sh script allows local attackers to escalate privileges from the cyrus user to root.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 26 May 2025
- **Updated:** 27 May 2025
- **Also known as:** GHSA-q5xr-h2vq-97x6, UBUNTU-CVE-2025-23394, openSUSE-SU-2025:15038-1

## What is CVE-2025-23394?

CVE-2025-23394 is a critical path traversal vulnerability in openSUSE Tumbleweed, published on 26 May 2025. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

A UNIX Symbolic Link (Symlink) Following vulnerability in openSUSE Tumbleweed cyrus-imapd allows escalation from cyrus to root.This issue affects openSUSE Tumbleweed  cyrus-imapd before 3.8.4-2.1.

Weakness: CWE-61 (UNIX Symbolic Link (Symlink) Following)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2025-23394?


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `cyrus-imapd` | openSUSE:Tumbleweed | All versions | 3.8.4-2.1 |

## How do I fix CVE-2025-23394?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

## Is CVE-2025-23394 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2025-23394 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2025-23394 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2025-23394 is a critical path traversal vulnerability in openSUSE Tumbleweed, published on 26 May 2025. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2025-23394 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: openSUSE Tumbleweed. 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-2025-23394/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-23394/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2025-23394
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-23394
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2025-23394

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-23394/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.