CVE-2008-5138 json
passwdehd in libpam-mount 0.43 allows local users to overwrite arbitrary files via a symlink attack on a /tmp/passwdehd.##### temporary fil…
published 2008-11-18 17 y ago modified 2026-06-16 4 mo ago also EUVD-2008-5117
- cvss
- 6.9
- version 2.0, NVD
- cisa kev
- Not listed
- not in CISA's catalog
- epss
- 0.3%
- EPSS 0.3% chance of exploitation in 30 days, percentile 21%
- public exploits
- 0
- none known
Summary
passwdehd in libpam-mount 0.43 allows local users to overwrite arbitrary files via a symlink attack on a /tmp/passwdehd.##### temporary file.
Patch / fix
- libpam-mount Debian 14, Debian 13, Debian 12 1.2+gitaa4791f-1
debian advisories DEBIAN-CVE-2008-5138
Vendor advisories
What the vendors themselves say about their products: affected, fixed or not affected, and what to do.
red hat product security vex CVE-2008-5138 updated
pam_mount temporary file symlink attack
-
Red Hat All currently supported Red Hat productsnot affected: vulnerable code not present
Red Hat CSAF VEX © Red Hat, Inc., from https://security.access.redhat.com/data/csaf/v2/vex/; changed: reduced to product statuses and remediations. CC BY 4.0 · csaf
Exploit prediction
0.29% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days, higher than 21% of all scored CVEs (FIRST EPSS, 2026-11-08).
CVSS scores
| assigned by | version | score | vector |
|---|---|---|---|
| NVD | 2.0 | 6.9 | AV:L/AC:M/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C |
Classification
- Weakness
-
- CWE-59 Improper Link Resolution Before File Access
References
-
lists.opensuse.org
/opensuse-security-announce/2009-03/msg00000.html
vendor-advisory
-
secunia.com
/advisories/32780
third-party-advisory
-
exchange.xforce.ibmcloud.com
/vulnerabilities/46724
vdb-entry
-
lists.debian.org
/debian-devel/2008/08/msg00285.html
mailing-list
Sources
- CVE List CVE-2008-5138
- NVD CVE-2008-5138
Fencer Vulns keeps one entry per vulnerability: the CVE id wins, then GHSA, and records that alias each other are merged, except that two CVEs always keep separate entries. The same data is available as JSON.