CVE-2008-4969
Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.
NVD · uneditedltp-network-test 20060918 allows local users to overwrite arbitrary files via a symlink attack on (a) /tmp/vsftpd.conf, (b) /tmp/udp/2/*, (c) /tmp/tcp/2/*, (d) /tmp/udp/3/*, (e) /tmp/tcp/3/*, (f) /tmp/nfs_fsstress.udp.2.log, (g) /tmp/nfs_fsstress.udp.3.log, (h) /tmp/nfs_fsstress.tcp.2.log, (i) /tmp/nfs_fsstress.tcp.3.log, and (j) /tmp/nfs_fsstress.sardata temporary files, related to the (1) ftp_setup_vsftp_conf and (2) nfs_fsstress.sh scripts.
Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.
dbcve analysis · high confidenceThe ltp-network-test 20060918 package contains scripts (ftp_setup_vsftp_conf and nfs_fsstress.sh) that create temporary files in /tmp with predictable filenames (vsftpd.conf and various nfs_fsstress log files) without proper validation or use of secure temporary file creation methods. Local attackers can exploit this by creating symbolic links with the same target filenames before the scripts run, causing arbitrary file overwrite when the scripts execute with elevated privileges.
Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.
Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.
NVD · CPE data= 20060918CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.
From the vector- Attack vector
- Local
- Complexity
- M
- Authentication
- None
- Confidentiality
- Complete
- Integrity
- Complete
- Availability
- Complete
AV:L/AC:M/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C
Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.
dbcve checksWork through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.
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Check if ltp-network-test package is installedRun: dpkg -l ltp-network-test (Debian/Ubuntu) or rpm -q ltp-network-test (RHEL/CentOS) or ls /var/lib/dpkg/info/*ltp-network-test* 2>/dev/nullAffected if Package is installed and version is exactly 20060918
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Verify the installed version numberRun: dpkg -s ltp-network-test 2>/dev/null | grep Version or rpm -qi ltp-network-test 2>/dev/null | grep VersionAffected if Version reported is 20060918 exactly
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Locate the ftp_setup_vsftp_conf scriptRun: find / -name 'ftp_setup_vsftp_conf' 2>/dev/nullAffected if Script exists and is part of ltp-network-test 20060918 package
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Inspect ftp_setup_vsftp_conf for predictable /tmp file handlingRead the script file and search for patterns like '/tmp/vsftpd.conf' or temporary file creation without mktemp/mkstempAffected if Script creates files in /tmp with predictable names (e.g., vsftpd.conf) without using secure methods like mktemp or O_EXCL
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Locate and inspect the nfs_fsstress.sh scriptRun: find / -name 'nfs_fsstress.sh' 2>/dev/null then examine the script for /tmp file operationsAffected if Script creates nfs_fsstress log files in /tmp with predictable filenames without proper symlink checks
You are affected if ltp-network-test version 20060918 is installed AND the ftp_setup_vsftp_conf or nfs_fsstress.sh scripts exist and create predictable temporary files in /tmp without using secure file creation methods.
Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.
Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.
From vendor dataReplace predictable temporary file creation with secure methods (mktemp, mkstemp, or file + O_EXCL) and add symlink checks before file operations. Consider restricting /tmp with mount options (noexec, nosuid) as a defense-in-depth measure.
- Consultation2.0 h
- Implementation4.0 h
- Testing3.0 h
- Review / QA1.0 h
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Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2008-4969 — or any other known-vulnerable package — straight from your lock files. Free and open source; it runs locally and uploads nothing.
References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.
Primary sourcesPractitioner notes
ContributedPeer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2008-4969 in production — separate from our analysis above.
The advisory tells you what broke. It rarely tells you what actually worked. If you’ve dealt with this one, that detail is what the next engineer is searching for.
- The version that genuinely resolved it — not the one the vendor claimed
- A config change or rule that shut the vector down
- A gotcha in the upgrade path that cost you an afternoon
No notes yet
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- Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
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