# CVE-2008-2827: Path traversal in n/a

> Local attackers can modify permissions of arbitrary files via symlink attacks in Perl's rmtree function, potentially leading to privilege escalation.

- **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:** 23 Jun 2008
- **Updated:** 7 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2008-2827, DTSA-142-1, GHSA-h567-wg66-2v4f

## What is CVE-2008-2827?

CVE-2008-2827 is a medium-severity path traversal vulnerability in n/a, published on 23 Jun 2008. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

The rmtree function in lib/File/Path.pm in Perl 5.10 does not properly check permissions before performing a chmod, which allows local users to modify the permissions of arbitrary files via a symlink attack, a different vulnerability than CVE-2005-0448 and CVE-2004-0452.

Weakness: CWE-264

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2008-2827?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Perl Perl.

## How do I fix CVE-2008-2827?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

## Is CVE-2008-2827 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2008-2827 exists.

Public exploit code:

- Perl - 'rmtree()' Function Local Insecure Permissions (exploitdb)

## Other vulnerabilities in n/a

- [CVE-2026-4176](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-4176/): Supply chain in perl (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2022-48522](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-48522/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2017-12814](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-12814/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2015-8608](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2015-8608/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2026-13221](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-13221/): Integer overflow in perl:perl (critical 9.1)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2008-2827 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2008-2827 is a medium-severity path traversal vulnerability in n/a, published on 23 Jun 2008. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2008-2827 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-2008-2827/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2008-2827/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2008-2827
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2008-2827
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2008-2827

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2008-2827/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.