# CVE-2008-3216: Path traversal in n/a

> Local attackers can overwrite arbitrary files via symlink attacks in ProjectL's save function, requiring local access.

- **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:** 18 Jul 2008
- **Updated:** 7 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2008-3216, GHSA-8qwf-cxw2-23h9

## What is CVE-2008-3216?

CVE-2008-3216 is a medium-severity path traversal vulnerability in n/a, published on 18 Jul 2008. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

The save function in br/prefmanager.d in projectl 1.001 creates a projectL.prf file in the current working directory, which allows local users to overwrite arbitrary files via a symlink attack.

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

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2008-3216?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Debian Projectl.

## How do I fix CVE-2008-3216?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2008-3216 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2008-3216 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2008-3216 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2008-3216 is a medium-severity path traversal vulnerability in n/a, published on 18 Jul 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-2008-3216 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-2008-3216/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2008-3216/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2008-3216
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2008-3216
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2008-3216

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2008-3216/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.