# CVE-2008-4394: Path traversal in n/a

> Local attackers can execute arbitrary code by placing malicious Python modules in the current working directory, affecting Gentoo Portage and related ebuilds.

- **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:** 10 Oct 2008
- **Updated:** 7 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-wg82-w6jx-9hqg

## What is CVE-2008-4394?

CVE-2008-4394 is a medium-severity path traversal vulnerability in n/a, published on 10 Oct 2008. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Multiple untrusted search path vulnerabilities in Portage before 2.1.4.5 include the current working directory in the Python search path, which allows local users to execute arbitrary code via a modified Python module that is loaded by the (1) ys-apps/portage, (2) net-mail/fetchmail, (3) app-editors/leo ebuilds, and other ebuilds.

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2008-4394?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Gentoo Portage.

## How do I fix CVE-2008-4394?

No fix has been published for CVE-2008-4394 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2008-4394 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2008-4394 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in n/a

- [CVE-2016-20021](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-20021/): Gentoo Portage missing PGP validation of executed code (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2013-2100](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2013-2100/): Gentoo Portage does not verify X.509 certificates from SSL servers (critical 9.3)
- [CVE-2004-2778](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2004-2778/): Privilege escalation in n/a (high 7.1)
- [CVE-2019-20384](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-20384/): Race condition in n/a (medium 5.5)
- [CVE-2007-6249](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2007-6249/): Information disclosure in n/a (low 2.1)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2008-4394 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2008-4394 is a medium-severity path traversal vulnerability in n/a, published on 10 Oct 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-2008-4394 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-2008-4394/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2008-4394/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2008-4394
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2008-4394
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2008-4394

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2008-4394/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.