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CVE-2008-4996

Status: ModifiedMedium (5.5)—

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.

CVSS

Exploitation probability (EPSS)

EPSS (Exploit Prediction Scoring System, FIRST) estimates how likely a vulnerability is to be exploited in the wild within 30 days. It complements CVSS (impact) and CISA KEV (confirmed exploitation).

Affected technologies (1)

Debian — Initramfs-tools

CWEs

References

Raw JSON (NVD)

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{
  "id": "CVE-2008-4996",
  "cveTags": [
    {
      "tags": [
        "disputed"
      ],
      "sourceIdentifier": "cve@mitre.org"
    }
  ],
  "metrics": {
    "ssvcV203": [
      {
        "source": "134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0",
        "ssvcData": {
          "id": "CVE-2008-4996",
          "role": "CISA Coordinator",
          "options": [
            {
              "exploitation": "none"
            },
            {
              "automatable": "no"
            },
            {
              "technicalImpact": "partial"
            }
          ],
          "version": "2.0.3",
          "timestamp": "2024-04-18T15:21:37.616515Z"
        }
      }
    ],
    "cvssMetricV2": [
      {
        "type": "Primary",
        "source": "nvd@nist.gov",
        "cvssData": {
          "version": "2.0",
          "baseScore": 6.9,
          "accessVector": "LOCAL",
          "vectorString": "AV:L/AC:M/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C",
          "authentication": "NONE",
          "integrityImpact": "COMPLETE",
          "accessComplexity": "MEDIUM",
          "availabilityImpact": "COMPLETE",
          "confidentialityImpact": "COMPLETE"
        },
        "acInsufInfo": false,
        "impactScore": 10,
        "baseSeverity": "MEDIUM",
        "obtainAllPrivilege": false,
        "exploitabilityScore": 3.4,
        "obtainUserPrivilege": false,
        "obtainOtherPrivilege": false,
        "userInteractionRequired": false
      }
    ],
    "cvssMetricV31": [
      {
        "type": "Secondary",
        "source": "134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0",
        "cvssData": {
          "scope": "UNCHANGED",
          "version": "3.1",
          "baseScore": 5.5,
          "attackVector": "LOCAL",
          "baseSeverity": "MEDIUM",
          "vectorString": "CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N",
          "integrityImpact": "HIGH",
          "userInteraction": "NONE",
          "attackComplexity": "LOW",
          "availabilityImpact": "NONE",
          "privilegesRequired": "LOW",
          "confidentialityImpact": "NONE"
        },
        "impactScore": 3.6,
        "exploitabilityScore": 1.8
      }
    ]
  },
  "affected": [
    {
      "source": "cve@mitre.org",
      "affectedData": [
        {
          "vendor": "n/a",
          "product": "n/a",
          "versions": [
            {
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "n/a"
            }
          ]
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "published": "2008-11-07T19:36:23.963",
  "references": [
    {
      "url": "http://bugs.debian.org/496386",
      "source": "cve@mitre.org"
    },
    {
      "url": "http://dev.gentoo.org/~rbu/security/debiantemp/initramfs-tools",
      "tags": [
        "Exploit"
      ],
      "source": "cve@mitre.org"
    },
    {
      "url": "http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2008/10/30/2",
      "source": "cve@mitre.org"
    },
    {
      "url": "https://bugs.gentoo.org/show_bug.cgi?id=235770",
      "source": "cve@mitre.org"
    },
    {
      "url": "http://bugs.debian.org/496386",
      "source": "af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108"
    },
    {
      "url": "http://dev.gentoo.org/~rbu/security/debiantemp/initramfs-tools",
      "tags": [
        "Exploit"
      ],
      "source": "af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108"
    },
    {
      "url": "http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2008/10/30/2",
      "source": "af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108"
    },
    {
      "url": "https://bugs.gentoo.org/show_bug.cgi?id=235770",
      "source": "af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108"
    }
  ],
  "vulnStatus": "Modified",
  "weaknesses": [
    {
      "type": "Primary",
      "source": "nvd@nist.gov",
      "description": [
        {
          "lang": "en",
          "value": "CWE-59"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "type": "Secondary",
      "source": "134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0",
      "description": [
        {
          "lang": "en",
          "value": "CWE-59"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "descriptions": [
    {
      "lang": "en",
      "value": "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."
    },
    {
      "lang": "es",
      "value": "** DISPUTADA ** init en initramfs-tools v0.92f permite a usuarios locales sobrescribir ficheros de su elección a través de un ataque de enlace simbólico al fichero temporal /tmp/initramfs.debug. NOTA: El fabricante ha diputado esta vulnerabilidad, manteniendo que \"init es usado en un contexto de monousuario; no existe la posibilidad de hacer esto explotable\"."
    }
  ],
  "lastModified": "2026-06-16T22:58:54.787",
  "configurations": [
    {
      "nodes": [
        {
          "negate": false,
          "cpeMatch": [
            {
              "criteria": "cpe:2.3:a:debian:initramfs-tools:0.92f:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
              "vulnerable": true,
              "matchCriteriaId": "57E97BA9-A2F3-4969-A092-90648E31787A"
            }
          ],
          "operator": "OR"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sourceIdentifier": "cve@mitre.org"
}