The (1) configure and (2) config.guess scripts in GNU troff (aka groff) 1.20.1 on Openwall GNU/*/Linux (aka Owl) improperly create temporary files upon a failure of the mktemp function, which makes it easier for local users to overwrite arbitrary files via a symlink attack on a temporary file
Published Jun 30, 2011
3.3
LOWCVSS 2.0
EPSS 0.32%
Description
The (1) configure and (2) config.guess scripts in GNU troff (aka groff) 1.20.1 on Openwall GNU/*/Linux (aka Owl) improperly create temporary files upon a failure of the mktemp function, which makes it easier for local users to overwrite arbitrary files via a symlink attack on a temporary file.
Affected products
Remediation
Red Hat statement
The Red Hat Security Response Team has rated this issue as having low security impact because it can only be exploited during package compilation. We do not currently plan to fix this flaw.
Metrics
No CVSS v4.0 score for this CVE.
No CVSS v3.1 score for this CVE.
No CVSS v3.0 score for this CVE.
AV:L/AC:M/Au:N/C:N/I:P/A:P
This CVE is not in the KEV list.
No CISA SSVC assessment for this CVE yet.
Estimated probability of exploitation in the wild in the next 30 days (FIRST EPSS). As of Oct 2, 2026.
Score over time
2022–2026- EPSS v2
- EPSS v3
- EPSS v4
- EPSS v5
Percentile over time
- EPSS v2
- EPSS v3
- EPSS v4
- EPSS v5
Table of values (9 key points)
Flat stretches are collapsed; showing up to 120 newest points.
| Date | Score | Percentile | Model |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2, 2026 | 0.32% (0.00320) | 22.70th | v5 (v2026.06.15) |
| Jun 15, 2026 | 0.32% (0.00320) | 23.50th | v5 (v2026.06.15) |
| Mar 17, 2025 | 0.03% (0.00031) | 5.61th | v4 (v2025.03.14) |
| Dec 12, 2024 | 0.04% (0.00042) | 5.07th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| Mar 7, 2023 | 0.04% (0.00042) | 5.63th | v3 (v2023.03.01) |
| Mar 6, 2023 | 0.95% (0.00950) | 32.28th | v2 (v2022.01.01) |
| Sep 10, 2022 | 0.95% (0.00950) | 30.63th | v2 (v2022.01.01) |
| Apr 1, 2022 | 0.95% (0.00950) | 28.61th | v2 (v2022.01.01) |
| Feb 4, 2022 | 0.95% (0.00950) | 13.46th | v2 (v2022.01.01) |
References (7)
- http://cvsweb.openwall.com/cgi/cvsweb.cgi/Owl/packages/groff/groff-1.20.1-owl-tmp.diff x_refsource_CONFIRMPatch
- http://cvsweb.openwall.com/cgi/cvsweb.cgi/Owl/packages/groff/groff-1.20.1-owl-tmp.diff.diff?r1=1.1%3Br2=1.2%3Bf=h x_refsource_CONFIRM
- http://openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2009/08/14/4 mailing-listx_refsource_MLISTPatch
- http://openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2009/08/14/5 mailing-listx_refsource_MLISTPatch
- https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2009-5082 Vendor Advisory
- https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2009-5082
- https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2009-5082
| Link | Providers | Tags |
|---|---|---|
| http://cvsweb.openwall.com/cgi/cvsweb.cgi/Owl/packages/groff/groff-1.20.1-owl-tmp.diff | x_refsource_CONFIRMPatch | |
| http://cvsweb.openwall.com/cgi/cvsweb.cgi/Owl/packages/groff/groff-1.20.1-owl-tmp.diff.diff?r1=1.1%3Br2=1.2%3Bf=h | x_refsource_CONFIRM | |
| http://openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2009/08/14/4 | mailing-listx_refsource_MLISTPatch | |
| http://openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2009/08/14/5 | mailing-listx_refsource_MLISTPatch | |
| https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2009-5082 | Vendor Advisory | |
| https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2009-5082 | ||
| https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2009-5082 |
Change history (0)
No recorded changes yet.