The chkstat tool in the permissions package followed symlinks before commit a9e1d26cd49ef9ee0c2060c859321128a6dd4230 (please also check the additional hardenings after this fix). This allowed local attackers with control over a path that is traversed by chkstat to escalate privileges.

References

• https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2019-3690
• https://bugzilla.suse.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1150734
• http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2019-12/msg00024.html