# CVE-2008-5162: Weak cryptography in n/a

> Insufficient entropy in FreeBSD kernel arc4random allows attackers to predict random values, facilitating attacks on GEOM and network protocols.

- **Severity:** High 7.0 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **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:** 26 Nov 2008
- **Updated:** 7 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-9jr8-q773-x8pc

## What is CVE-2008-5162?

CVE-2008-5162 is a high-severity vulnerability in Freebsd Freebsd, published on 26 Nov 2008. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

The arc4random function in the kernel in FreeBSD 6.3 through 7.1 does not have a proper entropy source for a short time period immediately after boot, which makes it easier for attackers to predict the function's return values and conduct certain attacks against the GEOM framework and various network protocols, related to the Yarrow random number generator.

Weakness: CWE-330 (Use of Insufficiently Random Values)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2008-5162?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Freebsd Freebsd.

## How do I fix CVE-2008-5162?

No fix has been published for CVE-2008-5162 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2008-5162 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2008-5162 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## 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-2008-5162 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2008-5162 is a high-severity vulnerability in Freebsd Freebsd, published on 26 Nov 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-2008-5162 in the wild and no public exploit code.

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-2008-5162/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2008-5162/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2008-5162
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2008-5162
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2008-5162

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2008-5162/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.