# CVE-2008-0888: Use after free in unzip

> Remote attackers can trigger a use-after-free in unzip via crafted archives, potentially causing crashes or arbitrary code execution.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.3 (`AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 17 Mar 2008
- **Updated:** 26 Aug 2025
- **Also known as:** AZL-35330, AZL-6932, DEBIAN-CVE-2008-0888, DSA-1522-1, GHSA-q7mr-xjvc-chw3, RHSA-2008:0196

## What is CVE-2008-0888?

CVE-2008-0888 is a critical use after free vulnerability in Apple Mac Os X, published on 17 Mar 2008. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

The NEEDBITS macro in the inflate_dynamic function in inflate.c for unzip can be invoked using invalid buffers, which allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (crash) and possibly execute arbitrary code via unknown vectors that trigger a free of uninitialized or previously-freed data.

Weakness: CWE-119 (Improper Restriction of Operations within the Bounds of a Memory Buffer)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2008-0888?

It affects 4 products.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `unzip` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:2.1::as | All versions | 0:5.50-31.EL2.1 |
| `unzip` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:2.1::aw | All versions | 0:5.50-31.EL2.1 |
| `unzip` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:2.1::es | All versions | 0:5.50-31.EL2.1 |
| `unzip` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:2.1::ws | All versions | 0:5.50-31.EL2.1 |
| `unzip` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:3::as | All versions | 0:5.50-36.EL3 |
| `unzip-debuginfo` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:3::as | All versions | 0:5.50-36.EL3 |
| `unzip` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:3::desktop | All versions | 0:5.50-36.EL3 |
| `unzip-debuginfo` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:3::desktop | All versions | 0:5.50-36.EL3 |
| `unzip` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:3::es | All versions | 0:5.50-36.EL3 |
| `unzip-debuginfo` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:3::es | All versions | 0:5.50-36.EL3 |
| `unzip` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:3::ws | All versions | 0:5.50-36.EL3 |
| `unzip-debuginfo` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:3::ws | All versions | 0:5.50-36.EL3 |

Products: Apple Mac Os X, Canonical Ubuntu Linux, Debian Debian Linux, Unzip Project Unzip.

## How do I fix CVE-2008-0888?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2008-0888 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2008-0888 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Apple Mac Os X

- [CVE-2014-7169](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2014-7169/): GNU Bourne-Again Shell (Bash) Arbitrary Code Execution (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2014-6271](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2014-6271/): GNU Bourne-Again Shell (Bash) Arbitrary Code Execution (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2012-1823](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2012-1823/): PHP-CGI Query String Parameter (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2021-30713](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-30713/): Apple macOS Unspecified (high 7.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2019-8526](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-8526/): Apple macOS Use-After-Free (high 7.8, exploited in the wild)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2008-0888 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2008-0888 is a critical use after free vulnerability in Apple Mac Os X, published on 17 Mar 2008. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2008-0888 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Apple Mac Os X. 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-2008-0888/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2008-0888/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2008-0888
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2008-0888
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2008-0888

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2008-0888/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.