CVE-2009-5079: Low severity groff vulnerability
Published Jun 30, 2011
·Updated
The (1) gendef.sh, (2) doc/fixinfo.sh, and (3) contrib/gdiffmk/tests/runtests.in scripts in GNU troff (aka groff) 1.21 and earlier allow local users to overwrite arbitrary files via a symlink attack on a gro#####.tmp or /tmp/##### temporary file.
Affected Software
16 affected components
GNU groff<=1.21
GNU groff=1.16.1
GNU groff=1.16
GNU groff=1.19.2
GNU groff=1.18.1
GNU groff=1.11a
GNU groff=1.19.1
GNU groff=1.20
GNU groff=1.19
GNU groff=1.20.1
GNU groff=1.14
GNU groff=1.17.2
GNU groff=1.10
GNU groff=1.17.1
GNU groff=1.11
GNU groff=1.15
Remediation
Patch Available
Event History
Jun 30, 2011
CVE Published
via MITRE·03:26 PM
Data Sourced
via MITRE·03:26 PM
Description
Frequently Asked Questions
1
What is the severity of CVE-2009-5079?
CVE-2009-5079 has a moderate severity level due to its potential for file overwriting via symlink attacks.
2
How do I fix CVE-2009-5079?
To mitigate CVE-2009-5079, upgrade your GNU troff (groff) to version 1.21 or later.
3
Which versions of GNU troff are affected by CVE-2009-5079?
CVE-2009-5079 affects GNU troff versions up to 1.21 and all earlier versions.
4
What type of attack does CVE-2009-5079 exploit?
CVE-2009-5079 exploits symlink vulnerabilities to allow local users to overwrite arbitrary files.
5
Can CVE-2009-5079 be exploited remotely?
CVE-2009-5079 does not allow for remote exploitation as it requires local user access to perform the attack.