# CVE-2008-5749: Command injection in n/a

> Remote attackers can execute arbitrary commands via argument injection in Chrome URIs, requiring user interaction to trigger the malicious link.

- **Severity:** Medium 6.8 (`AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 29 Dec 2008
- **Updated:** 7 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-c4p5-w53q-qmgh

## What is CVE-2008-5749?

CVE-2008-5749 is a medium-severity command injection vulnerability in Google Chrome, published on 29 Dec 2008. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

Argument injection vulnerability in Google Chrome 1.0.154.36 on Windows XP SP3 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary commands via the --renderer-path option in a chromehtml: URI.  NOTE: a third party disputes this issue, stating that Chrome "will ask for user permission" and "cannot launch the applet even [if] you have given out the permission.

Weakness: CWE-94 (Improper Control of Generation of Code)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2008-5749?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Google Chrome.

## How do I fix CVE-2008-5749?

No fix has been published for CVE-2008-5749 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2008-5749 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2008-5749 exists.

Public exploit code:

- Google Chrome - 'ChromeHTML://' Remote Parameter Injection (exploitdb)

## Other vulnerabilities in Google Chrome

- [CVE-2022-4135](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-4135/): Google Chromium GPU Heap Buffer Overflow (critical 9.6, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2020-16017](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-16017/): Google Chrome Use-After-Free (critical 9.6, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2020-16010](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-16010/): Google Chrome for Android UI Heap Buffer Overflow (critical 9.6, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2026-87491](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-87491/): Google Chromium V8 Out of Bounds Write (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2026-85046](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-85046/): Google Chromium V8 Type Confusion (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2008-5749 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2008-5749 is a medium-severity command injection vulnerability in Google Chrome, published on 29 Dec 2008. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2008-5749 exists.

Affected product: Google Chrome. 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-2008-5749/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2008-5749/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2008-5749
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2008-5749
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2008-5749

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2008-5749/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.