# CVE-2011-2905: Path traversal in n/a

> Local attackers can overwrite arbitrary files by placing a crafted config file in the current working directory when running the perf tool.

- **Severity:** Medium 6.2 (`AV:L/AC:H/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:** 1 Mar 2013
- **Updated:** 6 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-4wv3-q9v5-fp5m

## What is CVE-2011-2905?

CVE-2011-2905 is a medium-severity path traversal vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 1 Mar 2013. 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 perf_config function in tools/perf/util/config.c in perf, as distributed in the Linux kernel before 3.1, allows local users to overwrite arbitrary files via a crafted config file in the current working directory.

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2011-2905?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Linux kernel.

## How do I fix CVE-2011-2905?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

## Is CVE-2011-2905 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2011-2905 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Linux kernel

- [CVE-2026-53266](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-53266/): Linux Kernel Out-of-Bounds Write (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2013-6282](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2013-6282/): Linux Kernel Improper Input Validation (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2022-0185](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-0185/): Linux Kernel Heap-Based Buffer Overflow (high 8.4, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2013-2094](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2013-2094/): Linux Kernel Privilege Escalation (high 8.4, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2026-53362](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-53362/): Linux Kernel Unspecified (high 7.8, exploited in the wild)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2011-2905 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2011-2905 is a medium-severity path traversal vulnerability in Linux kernel, published on 1 Mar 2013. 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-2011-2905 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Linux kernel. 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-2011-2905/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2011-2905/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2011-2905
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2011-2905
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2011-2905

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2011-2905/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.