Vulnerabilities
Misconfiguration
Compliance
CVE Vulnerabilities

CVE-2008-4936

Improper Link Resolution Before File Access ('Link Following')

Published: Nov 05, 2008 | Modified: Apr 09, 2025
CVSS 3.x
N/A
Source:
NVD
CVSS 2.x
6.9 MEDIUM
AV:L/AC:M/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C
RedHat/V2
RedHat/V3
Ubuntu
LOW
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Additional information
NVDhttps://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2008-4936
CWEhttps://cwe.mitre.org/data/definitions/59.html

faxspool in mgetty 1.1.36 allows local users to overwrite arbitrary files via a symlink attack on a /tmp/faxsp.##### temporary file.

Weakness

The product attempts to access a file based on the filename, but it does not properly prevent that filename from identifying a link or shortcut that resolves to an unintended resource.

Affected Software

NameVendorStart VersionEnd Version
MgettyGert_doering1.1.36 (including)1.1.36 (including)
MgettyUbuntudapper*
MgettyUbuntugutsy*
MgettyUbuntuhardy*
MgettyUbuntuupstream*

Potential Mitigations

  • Follow the principle of least privilege when assigning access rights to entities in a software system.
  • Denying access to a file can prevent an attacker from replacing that file with a link to a sensitive file. Ensure good compartmentalization in the system to provide protected areas that can be trusted.

References

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