# CVE-2008-3531: Memory corruption in n/a

> Local attackers can escalate privileges via crafted mount system calls in FreeBSD kernels when usermount is enabled.

- **Severity:** Medium 6.9 (`AV:L/AC:M/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C`)
- **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:** No
- **Published:** 5 Sep 2008
- **Updated:** 7 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-7x52-8p86-5px9

## What is CVE-2008-3531?

CVE-2008-3531 is a medium-severity memory corruption vulnerability in Freebsd Freebsd, published on 5 Sep 2008. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Stack-based buffer overflow in sys/kern/vfs_mount.c in the kernel in FreeBSD 7.0 and 7.1, when vfs.usermount is enabled, allows local users to gain privileges via a crafted (1) mount or (2) nmount system call, related to copying of "user defined data" in "certain error conditions."

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

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2008-3531?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Freebsd Freebsd.

## How do I fix CVE-2008-3531?

No fix has been published for CVE-2008-3531 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2008-3531 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2008-3531 exists.

Public exploit code:

- FreeBSD 7.0/7.1 - 'vfs.usermount' Local Privilege Escalation (exploitdb)
- ps4 cve-2008-3531 (github_poc): https://github.com/test-one9/ps4-11.50.github.io

## 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-2008-3531 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2008-3531 is a medium-severity memory corruption vulnerability in Freebsd Freebsd, published on 5 Sep 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-2008-3531 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-2008-3531/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2008-3531/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2008-3531
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2008-3531
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2008-3531

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2008-3531/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.