# CVE-2008-1391: Integer overflow in n/a

> Integer overflows in BSD libc strfmon and printf functions allow remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via crafted format strings.

- **Severity:** High 7.5 (`AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 27 Mar 2008
- **Updated:** 7 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2008-1391, GHSA-7w79-2w84-7wvc

## What is CVE-2008-1391?

CVE-2008-1391 is a high-severity vulnerability in Freebsd Freebsd, published on 27 Mar 2008. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Multiple integer overflows in libc in NetBSD 4.x, FreeBSD 6.x and 7.x, and probably other BSD and Apple Mac OS platforms allow context-dependent attackers to execute arbitrary code via large values of certain integer fields in the format argument to (1) the strfmon function in lib/libc/stdlib/strfmon.c, related to the GET_NUMBER macro; and (2) the printf function, related to left_prec and right_prec.

Weakness: CWE-189

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2008-1391?

It affects 2 products.


Products: Freebsd Freebsd, Netbsd Netbsd.

## How do I fix CVE-2008-1391?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2008-1391 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2008-1391 exists.

Public exploit code:

- BSD (Multiple Distributions) - 'strfmon()' Integer Overflow (exploitdb)

## Other vulnerabilities in Freebsd Freebsd

- [CVE-2018-17160](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-17160/): Memory corruption in FreeBSD (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2014-3954](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2014-3954/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2006-4304](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2006-4304/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2006-0226](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2006-0226/): Integer overflow in n/a (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2004-0002](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2004-0002/): Denial of service in n/a (critical 10.0)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2008-1391 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2008-1391 is a high-severity vulnerability in Freebsd Freebsd, published on 27 Mar 2008. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2008-1391 exists.

Affected product: Freebsd Freebsd. 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-2008-1391/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2008-1391/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2008-1391
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2008-1391
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2008-1391

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2008-1391/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.