CVE-2009-5082 Path traversal in n/a

Low 3.3 Published 30 Jun 2011 Updated 16 Sep 2024

Local attackers can overwrite arbitrary files via symlink attacks on temporary files created by GNU troff configuration scripts.

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

What is CVE-2009-5082?

CVE-2009-5082 is a low-severity path traversal vulnerability in n/a, published on 30 Jun 2011. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

Official description

The (1) configure and (2) config.guess scripts in GNU troff (aka groff) 1.20.1 on Openwall GNU/*/Linux (aka Owl) improperly create temporary files upon a failure of the mktemp function, which makes it easier for local users to overwrite arbitrary files via a symlink attack on a temporary file.

Weakness: CWE-59

Which versions are affected by CVE-2009-5082?

It affects 1 product.

Products include Gnu Groff.

How do I fix CVE-2009-5082?

Apply the vendor's patch.

Upgrade, and resolve every user-supplied path against an allowed base folder before opening it. More about Path traversal.

Is CVE-2009-5082 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2009-5082 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Sources

Also known as DEBIAN-CVE-2009-5082, GHSA-6ww7-mx3f-8cq3.