1. Ubuntu Security Notices
  2. USN-1654-1

USN-1654-1: CUPS vulnerability

Publication date

5 December 2012

Overview

CUPS could be made to read files or run programs as an administrator.

Releases

Packages

  • cups - Common UNIX Printing System(tm)
  • cupsys - Common UNIX Printing System(tm)

Details

It was discovered that users in the lpadmin group could modify certain CUPS
configuration options to escalate privileges. An attacker could use this to
potentially gain root privileges.

It was discovered that users in the lpadmin group could modify certain CUPS
configuration options to escalate privileges. An attacker could use this to
potentially gain root privileges.

Update instructions

In general, a standard system update will make all the necessary changes. This update adds the new cups-files.conf configuration file for privileged CUPS settings. In certain customized environments, these settings may need to be manually moved to this new file. For more information, please see the updated documentation installed with this package and inspect the CUPS error log.

Learn more about how to get the fixes.

The problem can be corrected by updating your system to the following package versions:

Ubuntu Release Package Version
8.04 hardy cupsys –  1.3.7-1ubuntu3.16
12.10 quantal cups –  1.6.1-0ubuntu11.3
12.04 precise cups –  1.5.3-0ubuntu5.1
11.10 oneiric cups –  1.5.0-8ubuntu7.3
10.04 lucid cups –  1.4.3-1ubuntu1.9

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References

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