# CVE-2007-5795: Security feature bypass in n/a

> Attackers can bypass Emacs local variable restrictions to modify critical variables or execute code if users open malicious files with safe mode enabled.

- **Severity:** Medium 6.3 (`AV:L/AC:M/Au:N/C:N/I:C/A:C`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 2 Nov 2007
- **Updated:** 7 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** DTSA-79-1, GHSA-qf2q-r4v7-rv34

## What is CVE-2007-5795?

CVE-2007-5795 is a medium-severity vulnerability in n/a, published on 2 Nov 2007. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

The hack-local-variables function in Emacs before 22.2, when enable-local-variables is set to :safe, does not properly search lists of unsafe or risky variables, which might allow user-assisted attackers to bypass intended restrictions and modify critical program variables via a file containing a Local variables declaration.

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2007-5795?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Gnu Emacs.

## How do I fix CVE-2007-5795?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

## Is CVE-2007-5795 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2007-5795 exists.

Public exploit code:

- GNU Emacs 22.1 - Local Variable Handling Code Execution (exploitdb)

## Other vulnerabilities in n/a

- [CVE-2007-6109](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2007-6109/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2024-39331](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-39331/): Code injection in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2024-53920](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-53920/): Code injection in n/a (high 7.8)
- [CVE-2024-30202](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-30202/): Code injection in n/a (high 7.8)
- [CVE-2023-2491](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-2491/): Command injection in emacs (high 7.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2007-5795 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2007-5795 is a medium-severity vulnerability in n/a, published on 2 Nov 2007. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2007-5795 exists.

Affected product: n/a. 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-2007-5795/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2007-5795/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2007-5795
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2007-5795
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2007-5795

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2007-5795/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.