# CVE-2008-5408: Memory corruption in n/a

> Remote attackers can cause denial of service or execute arbitrary code via buffer overflow in Symantec Backup Exec, requiring authentication unless chained with another vulnerability.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.0 (`AV:N/AC:L/Au:S/C:C/I:C/A:C`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 9 Dec 2008
- **Updated:** 7 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-rgpx-jh87-j8mr

## What is CVE-2008-5408?

CVE-2008-5408 is a critical memory corruption vulnerability in n/a, published on 9 Dec 2008. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Buffer overflow in the data management protocol in Symantec Backup Exec for Windows Servers 11.0 (aka 11d) builds 6235 and 7170, 12.0 build 1364, and 12.5 build 2213 allows remote authenticated users to cause a denial of service (application crash) and possibly execute arbitrary code via unknown vectors.  NOTE: this can be exploited by unauthenticated remote attackers by leveraging CVE-2008-5407.

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

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2008-5408?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Symantec Backup Exec for Windows Server.

## How do I fix CVE-2008-5408?

No fix has been published for CVE-2008-5408 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2008-5408 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2008-5408 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in n/a

- [CVE-2008-5407](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2008-5407/): Auth bypass in n/a (critical 9.4)
- [CVE-2007-6016](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2007-6016/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 9.3)
- [CVE-2007-6017](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2007-6017/): Path traversal in n/a (medium 5.1)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2008-5408 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2008-5408 is a critical memory corruption vulnerability in n/a, published on 9 Dec 2008. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2008-5408 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-2008-5408/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2008-5408/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2008-5408
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2008-5408
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2008-5408

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2008-5408/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.