# CVE-2014-8737: Path traversal in n/a

> Local attackers can delete or create arbitrary files via path traversal in binutils tools like strip, objcopy, and ar when processing malicious archives.

- **Severity:** Low 3.6 (`AV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:N/I:P/A:P`)
- **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:** 9 Dec 2014
- **Updated:** 6 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2014-8737, ECHO-b44d-5eba-01fd, GHSA-p54r-q4hv-rx4g, UBUNTU-CVE-2014-8737

## What is CVE-2014-8737?

CVE-2014-8737 is a low-severity path traversal vulnerability in Canonical Ubuntu Linux, published on 9 Dec 2014. 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 directory traversal vulnerabilities in GNU binutils 2.24 and earlier allow local users to delete arbitrary files via a .. (dot dot) or full path name in an archive to (1) strip or (2) objcopy or create arbitrary files via (3) a .. (dot dot) or full path name in an archive to ar.

Weakness: CWE-22 (Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2014-8737?

It affects 3 products.


Products: Canonical Ubuntu Linux, Fedoraproject Fedora, Gnu Binutils.

## How do I fix CVE-2014-8737?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

## Is CVE-2014-8737 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2014-8737 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Canonical Ubuntu Linux

- [CVE-2020-11651](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-11651/): SaltStack Salt Authentication Bypass (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2020-7247](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-7247/): OpenSMTPD Remote Code Execution (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2019-16928](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-16928/): Exim Out-of-bounds Write (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2018-6789](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-6789/): Exim Buffer Overflow (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2015-2590](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2015-2590/): Oracle Java SE and Java SE Embedded Remote Code Execution (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2014-8737 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2014-8737 is a low-severity path traversal vulnerability in Canonical Ubuntu Linux, published on 9 Dec 2014. 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-2014-8737 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Canonical Ubuntu Linux. 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-2014-8737/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2014-8737/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2014-8737
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2014-8737
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2014-8737

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2014-8737/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.