CVE-2008-4996

Publication date 7 November 2008

Last updated 4 August 2025

Ubuntu priority

Cvss 3 Severity Score

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.

Read the notes from the security team

Status

Show unmaintained releases

Package	Ubuntu Release	Status
initramfs-tools	9.10 karmic	Ignored
	9.04 jaunty	Ignored
	8.10 intrepid	Ignored
	8.04 LTS hardy	Ignored
	7.10 gutsy	Ignored end of life, was needed
	6.06 LTS dapper	Ignored

Notes

jdstrand

per upstream, occurs in init, which is a single-user context

mdeslaur

not exploitable, let's ignore

Severity score breakdown

Parameter	Value
Base score	5.5 · Medium
Attack vector	Local
Attack complexity	Low
Privileges required	Low
User interaction	None
Scope	Unchanged
Confidentiality	None
Integrity impact	High
Availability impact	None
Vector	CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N

References

Other references

https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2008-4996