The remote host is missing an update to hplip announced via advisory USN-708-1.
Details follow:
It was discovered that an installation script in the HPLIP package would change permissions on the hplip config files located in user's home directories. A local user could exploit this and change permissions on arbitrary files upon an HPLIP installation or upgrade, which could lead to root privileges.
Solution: The problem can be corrected by upgrading your system to the following package versions:
Ubuntu 7.10: hplip 2.7.7.dfsg.1-0ubuntu5.3
In general, a standard system upgrade is sufficient to effect the necessary changes.