CVE-2008-4996

MEDIUM

initramfs-tools 0.92f - Arbitrary File Overwrite via Symlink Attack on Temporary File

Title source: llm
STIX 2.1

Description

init in initramfs-tools 0.92f allows local users to overwrite arbitrary files via a symlink attack on the /tmp/initramfs.debug temporary file. NOTE: the vendor disputes this vulnerability, stating that "init is [used in] a single-user context; there's no possibility that this is exploitable.

References (4)

Core 4
Core References
Mailing List mailing-list x_refsource_mlist
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2008/10/30/2
Issue Tracking x_refsource_misc
https://bugs.gentoo.org/show_bug.cgi?id=235770
Issue Tracking x_refsource_misc
http://bugs.debian.org/496386

Scores

CVSS v3 5.5
EPSS 0.0043
EPSS Percentile 34.6%
Attack Vector LOCAL
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N

CISA SSVC

Vulnrichment
Exploitation none
Automatable no
Technical Impact partial

Details

CWE
CWE-59
Status published
Products (1)
debian/initramfs-tools 0.92f
Published Nov 07, 2008
Tracked Since Feb 18, 2026