# CVE-2001-0138: Path traversal in n/a

> Local attackers can overwrite arbitrary files via symlink attacks in the privatepw program of wu-ftpd.

- **Severity:** Low 1.2 (`AV:L/AC:H/Au:N/C:N/I:P/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 7 May 2001
- **Updated:** 8 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-8v2v-3g3x-fvg3

## What is CVE-2001-0138?

CVE-2001-0138 is a low-severity path traversal vulnerability in Debian Debian Linux, published on 7 May 2001. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

privatepw program in wu-ftpd before 2.6.1-6 allows local users to overwrite arbitrary files via a symlink attack.

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2001-0138?

It affects 5 products.


Products: Debian Debian Linux, Immunix Immunix, Mandrakesoft Mandrake Linux, Mandrakesoft Mandrake Linux Corporate Server, Redhat Linux.

## How do I fix CVE-2001-0138?

No fix has been published for CVE-2001-0138 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2001-0138 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2001-0138 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Debian Debian Linux

- [CVE-2015-3306](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2015-3306/): ProFTPD Improper Access Control (critical 10.0, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2025-49113](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-49113/): RoundCube Webmail Deserialization of Untrusted Data (critical 9.9, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2026-24061](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-24061/): GNU InetUtils Argument Injection (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2025-39682](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-39682/): Linux Kernel Improper Check for Unusual or Exceptional Conditions (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2024-9680](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-9680/): Mozilla Firefox Use-After-Free (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2001-0138 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2001-0138 is a low-severity path traversal vulnerability in Debian Debian Linux, published on 7 May 2001. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2001-0138 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Debian Debian Linux. 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-2001-0138/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2001-0138/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2001-0138
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2001-0138
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2001-0138

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2001-0138/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.