Apple CUPS 1.3.8 link following

CVSS Meta Temp Score
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CTI Interest Score
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7.6$0-$5k0.00

A vulnerability, which was classified as critical, was found in Apple CUPS 1.3.8 (Printing Software). Affected is an unknown code. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a link following vulnerability. CWE is classifying the issue as CWE-59. The product attempts to access a file based on the filename, but it does not properly prevent that filename from identifying a link or shortcut that resolves to an unintended resource. This is going to have an impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability. CVE summarizes:

pstopdf in CUPS 1.3.8 allows local users to overwrite arbitrary files via a symlink attack on the /tmp/pstopdf.log temporary file, a different vulnerability than CVE-2001-1333.

The bug was discovered 08/13/2008. The weakness was released 12/08/2008 by Jon Oberheide (Website). The advisory is shared for download at milw0rm.com. This vulnerability is traded as CVE-2008-5377 since 12/08/2008. The attack needs to be approached locally. The exploitation doesn't require any form of authentication. Technical details are unknown but a public exploit is available.

A public exploit has been developed by Jon Oberheide and been published 2 weeks after the advisory. The exploit is shared for download at exploit-db.com. It is declared as proof-of-concept. The vulnerability was handled as a non-public zero-day exploit for at least 117 days. During that time the estimated underground price was around $5k-$25k. The vulnerability scanner Nessus provides a plugin with the ID 38132 (Ubuntu 6.06 LTS / 7.10 / 8.04 LTS / 8.10 : cups, cupsys vulnerabilities (USN-707-1)), which helps to determine the existence of the flaw in a target environment. It is assigned to the family Ubuntu Local Security Checks and running in the context l. The commercial vulnerability scanner Qualys is able to test this issue with plugin 116078 (CUPS "pstopdf" Insecure Temporary File Creation Vulnerability).

Upgrading eliminates this vulnerability. A possible mitigation has been published 2 months after the disclosure of the vulnerability.

The vulnerability is also documented in the databases at X-Force (47249), Exploit-DB (7550), Tenable (38132), SecurityFocus (BID 32745†) and OSVDB (50637†). VulDB is the best source for vulnerability data and more expert information about this specific topic.

Productinfo

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Vendor

Name

Version

License

CPE 2.3info

CPE 2.2info

CVSSv4info

VulDB Vector: 🔍
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

CVSSv3info

VulDB Meta Base Score: 8.4
VulDB Meta Temp Score: 7.6

VulDB Base Score: 8.4
VulDB Temp Score: 7.6
VulDB Vector: 🔍
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

CVSSv2info

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VulDB Base Score: 🔍
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Exploitinginfo

Class: Link following
CWE: CWE-59
CAPEC: 🔍
ATT&CK: 🔍

Local: Yes
Remote: No

Availability: 🔍
Access: Public
Status: Proof-of-Concept
Author: Jon Oberheide
Download: 🔍

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EPSS Percentile: 🔍

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Nessus ID: 38132
Nessus Name: Ubuntu 6.06 LTS / 7.10 / 8.04 LTS / 8.10 : cups, cupsys vulnerabilities (USN-707-1)
Nessus File: 🔍
Nessus Risk: 🔍
Nessus Family: 🔍
Nessus Context: 🔍

OpenVAS ID: 64165
OpenVAS Name: Ubuntu USN-707-1 (cupsys)
OpenVAS File: 🔍
OpenVAS Family: 🔍

Qualys ID: 🔍
Qualys Name: 🔍

Exploit-DB: 🔍

Threat Intelligenceinfo

Interest: 🔍
Active Actors: 🔍
Active APT Groups: 🔍

Countermeasuresinfo

Recommended: Upgrade
Status: 🔍

Reaction Time: 🔍
0-Day Time: 🔍
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Exploit Delay Time: 🔍

Timelineinfo

08/11/2008 🔍
08/11/2008 +0 days 🔍
08/13/2008 +2 days 🔍
12/08/2008 +117 days 🔍
12/08/2008 +0 days 🔍
12/08/2008 +0 days 🔍
12/22/2008 +14 days 🔍
12/22/2008 +0 days 🔍
12/22/2008 +0 days 🔍
01/12/2009 +21 days 🔍
04/23/2009 +101 days 🔍
03/17/2015 +2154 days 🔍
05/25/2025 +3722 days 🔍

Sourcesinfo

Vendor: apple.com

Advisory: milw0rm.com⛔
Researcher: Jon Oberheide
Status: Confirmed

CVE: CVE-2008-5377 (🔍)
GCVE (CVE): GCVE-0-2008-5377
GCVE (VulDB): GCVE-100-45336

OVAL: 🔍

X-Force: 47249
SecurityFocus: 32745 - CUPS 'pstopdf' Insecure Temporary File Creation Vulnerability
OSVDB: 50637 - CUPS - 'pstopdf' Insecure Temporary File Creation Issue
Vulnerability Center: 20301 - CUPS 1.3.8 pstopdf Local Arbitrary Files Overwrite via Symlink Attack on /tmp/pstopdf.log, Low

scip Labs: https://www.scip.ch/en/?labs.20161013

Entryinfo

Created: 03/17/2015 04:11 PM
Updated: 05/25/2025 04:31 AM
Changes: 03/17/2015 04:11 PM (79), 08/22/2019 04:57 PM (7), 11/20/2024 07:12 PM (17), 05/25/2025 04:31 AM (2)
Complete: 🔍
Cache ID: 18:C3C:40

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