CVE-2008-2940: The alert-mailing implementation in HP Linux Imaging and Printing (HPLIP) 1.6.7 allows local users to gain...

Security readout for executives and security teams

This is an old local privilege-escalation issue in HP Linux Imaging and Printing (HPLIP) 1.6.7. A user already on a Linux system could abuse the alert-mailing feature to act with root privileges and send email as root. It is not described as remotely exploitable in the supplied sources. Exposure is likely limited to Linux hosts with vulnerable HPLIP packages, especially legacy systems or unmaintained distribution images. The bundle lists vendor advisories from Mandriva, SUSE, Ubuntu, and Red Hat, but does not provide exact fixed package versions. Prioritize remediation on shared Linux systems, servers, and workstations where untrusted users may have local access. This is less urgent for fully patched modern systems, but root privilege escalation can materially increase breach impact after initial access. Mitigation focus: Check vendor advisories for fixed HPLIP packages on affected distributions.; Upgrade or remove vulnerable HPLIP packages where they are not required.; Restrict local shell access on systems still running vulnerable HPLIP versions..

Prepared

Jun 28, 2026, 18:33 UTC (UTC+00:00)

Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.