# CVE-2008-1694: Path traversal in n/a

> Local attackers can overwrite arbitrary files via symlink attacks in Emacs vcdiff when using SCCS, requiring local access and specific configuration.

- **Severity:** Medium 4.6 (`AV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P`)
- **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 Apr 2008
- **Updated:** 7 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2008-1694, GHSA-7cqh-9wjj-hhf9

## What is CVE-2008-1694?

CVE-2008-1694 is a medium-severity path traversal vulnerability in n/a, published on 21 Apr 2008. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

vcdiff in Emacs 20.7 to 22.1.50, when used with SCCS, allows local users to overwrite arbitrary files via a symlink attack on temporary files.

Weakness: CWE-59 (Improper Link Resolution Before File Access)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2008-1694?

It affects 2 products.


Products: Gnu Emacs, Gnu Sccs.

## How do I fix CVE-2008-1694?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

## Is CVE-2008-1694 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2008-1694 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## 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-2008-1694 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2008-1694 is a medium-severity path traversal vulnerability in n/a, published on 21 Apr 2008. 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-2008-1694 in the wild and no public exploit code.

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-2008-1694/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2008-1694/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2008-1694
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2008-1694
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2008-1694

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2008-1694/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.