# CVE-2009-3894: Path traversal in n/a

> Local attackers can gain privileges by placing a malicious Python module in the current working directory, exploiting untrusted search paths in dstat.

- **Severity:** Medium 4.4 (`AV:L/AC:M/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 27 Nov 2009
- **Updated:** 7 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2009-3894, GHSA-c59x-5529-vcp7, RHSA-2009:1619, openSUSE-SU-2024:10001-1, openSUSE-SU-2025:14878-1

## What is CVE-2009-3894?

CVE-2009-3894 is a medium-severity path traversal vulnerability in n/a, published on 27 Nov 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

Multiple untrusted search path vulnerabilities in dstat before 0.7.0 allow local users to gain privileges via a Trojan horse Python module in (1) the current working directory or (2) a certain subdirectory of the current working directory.

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2009-3894?

It affects 1 product.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `dstat` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:5::client | All versions | 0:0.6.6-3.el5_4.1 |
| `dstat` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:5::server | All versions | 0:0.6.6-3.el5_4.1 |
| `dool` | openSUSE:Tumbleweed | All versions | 1.3.4-2.1 |
| `dstat` | openSUSE:Tumbleweed | All versions | 0.7.3-1.3 |

Products: Dag.wieers Dstat.

## How do I fix CVE-2009-3894?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

## Is CVE-2009-3894 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2009-3894 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in n/a

- [CVE-2009-4081](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2009-4081/): Path traversal in n/a (medium 4.4)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2009-3894 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2009-3894 is a medium-severity path traversal vulnerability in n/a, published on 27 Nov 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-2009-3894 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-2009-3894/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2009-3894/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2009-3894
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2009-3894
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2009-3894

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2009-3894/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.