# CVE-2008-5394: Path traversal in n/a

> Local users in the utmp group can overwrite arbitrary files via symlink attacks on temporary files, potentially leading to privilege escalation.

- **Severity:** High 7.2 (`AV:L/AC:L/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:** Yes
- **Published:** 9 Dec 2008
- **Updated:** 7 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2008-5394, DSA-1709-1, GHSA-5848-87gf-wvqv

## What is CVE-2008-5394?

CVE-2008-5394 is a high-severity path traversal vulnerability in n/a, published on 9 Dec 2008. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

/bin/login in shadow 4.0.18.1 in Debian GNU/Linux, and probably other Linux distributions, allows local users in the utmp group to overwrite arbitrary files via a symlink attack on a temporary file referenced in a line (aka ut_line) field in a utmp entry.

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

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2008-5394?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Debian Shadow.

## How do I fix CVE-2008-5394?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2008-5394 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2008-5394 exists.

Public exploit code:

- Debian - Symlink In Login Arbitrary File Ownership (exploitdb)

## Other vulnerabilities in n/a

- [CVE-2011-0721](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2011-0721/): Other in n/a (medium 6.4)
- [CVE-2004-1001](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2004-1001/): Security feature bypass in n/a (medium 4.6)
- [CVE-2006-1174](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2006-1174/): Misconfiguration in n/a (low 3.7)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2008-5394 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2008-5394 is a high-severity path traversal vulnerability in n/a, published on 9 Dec 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-2008-5394 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-2008-5394/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2008-5394/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2008-5394
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2008-5394
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2008-5394

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2008-5394/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.