# CVE-2008-5987: Code injection in n/a

> Local attackers can execute arbitrary code by placing a malicious Python file in the current working directory when Eye of GNOME is launched.

- **Severity:** Medium 6.9 (`AV:L/AC:M/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 28 Jan 2009
- **Updated:** 7 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2008-5987, GHSA-5g97-43jg-qgrv

## What is CVE-2008-5987?

CVE-2008-5987 is a medium-severity code injection vulnerability in n/a, published on 28 Jan 2009. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

Untrusted search path vulnerability in the Python interface in Eye of GNOME (eog) 2.22.3, and possibly other versions, allows local users to execute arbitrary code via a Trojan horse Python file in the current working directory, related to a vulnerability in the PySys_SetArgv function (CVE-2008-5983).

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2008-5987?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Gnome Eog.

## How do I fix CVE-2008-5987?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2008-5987 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2008-5987 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in n/a

- [CVE-2003-0165](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2003-0165/): Code injection in n/a (medium 4.6)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2008-5987 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2008-5987 is a medium-severity code injection vulnerability in n/a, published on 28 Jan 2009. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2008-5987 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-2008-5987/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2008-5987/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2008-5987
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2008-5987
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2008-5987

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2008-5987/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.