# CVE-2004-0884: Path traversal in n/a

> Local attackers can execute arbitrary code by manipulating the SASL_PATH environment variable in Cyrus-SASL libraries to load malicious plugins.

- **Severity:** High 7.2 (`AV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C`)
- **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:** Yes
- **Published:** 21 Oct 2004
- **Updated:** 8 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2004-0884, DSA-563-3, DSA-568-1, GHSA-pggp-j979-w3jj, RHSA-2004:546

## What is CVE-2004-0884?

CVE-2004-0884 is a high-severity path traversal vulnerability in Conectiva Linux, published on 21 Oct 2004. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

The (1) libsasl and (2) libsasl2 libraries in Cyrus-SASL 2.1.18 and earlier trust the SASL_PATH environment variable to find all available SASL plug-ins, which allows local users to execute arbitrary code by modifying the SASL_PATH to point to malicious programs.

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2004-0884?

It affects 2 products.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `cyrus-sasl` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:3::as | All versions | 0:2.1.15-10 |
| `cyrus-sasl-debuginfo` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:3::as | All versions | 0:2.1.15-10 |
| `cyrus-sasl-devel` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:3::as | All versions | 0:2.1.15-10 |
| `cyrus-sasl-gssapi` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:3::as | All versions | 0:2.1.15-10 |
| `cyrus-sasl-md5` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:3::as | All versions | 0:2.1.15-10 |
| `cyrus-sasl-plain` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:3::as | All versions | 0:2.1.15-10 |
| `cyrus-sasl` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:3::desktop | All versions | 0:2.1.15-10 |
| `cyrus-sasl-debuginfo` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:3::desktop | All versions | 0:2.1.15-10 |
| `cyrus-sasl-devel` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:3::desktop | All versions | 0:2.1.15-10 |
| `cyrus-sasl-gssapi` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:3::desktop | All versions | 0:2.1.15-10 |
| `cyrus-sasl-md5` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:3::desktop | All versions | 0:2.1.15-10 |
| `cyrus-sasl-plain` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:3::desktop | All versions | 0:2.1.15-10 |
| `cyrus-sasl` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:3::es | All versions | 0:2.1.15-10 |
| `cyrus-sasl-debuginfo` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:3::es | All versions | 0:2.1.15-10 |
| `cyrus-sasl-devel` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:3::es | All versions | 0:2.1.15-10 |
| `cyrus-sasl-gssapi` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:3::es | All versions | 0:2.1.15-10 |
| `cyrus-sasl-md5` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:3::es | All versions | 0:2.1.15-10 |
| `cyrus-sasl-plain` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:3::es | All versions | 0:2.1.15-10 |
| `cyrus-sasl` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:3::ws | All versions | 0:2.1.15-10 |
| `cyrus-sasl-debuginfo` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:3::ws | All versions | 0:2.1.15-10 |
| `cyrus-sasl-devel` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:3::ws | All versions | 0:2.1.15-10 |
| `cyrus-sasl-gssapi` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:3::ws | All versions | 0:2.1.15-10 |
| `cyrus-sasl-md5` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:3::ws | All versions | 0:2.1.15-10 |
| `cyrus-sasl-plain` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:3::ws | All versions | 0:2.1.15-10 |

Products: Conectiva Linux, Cyrus Sasl.

## How do I fix CVE-2004-0884?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2004-0884 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2004-0884 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Conectiva Linux

- [CVE-2005-3625](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2005-3625/): Denial of service in n/a (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2004-0882](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2004-0882/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2004-0902](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2004-0902/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2004-0903](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2004-0903/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2004-0904](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2004-0904/): Integer overflow in n/a (critical 10.0)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2004-0884 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2004-0884 is a high-severity path traversal vulnerability in Conectiva Linux, published on 21 Oct 2004. 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-2004-0884 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Conectiva 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-2004-0884/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2004-0884/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2004-0884
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2004-0884
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2004-0884

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2004-0884/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.