The tempname_ensure function in lib/routines.h in a2ps 4.14 and earlier, as used by the…
Priority LOW 11CWE-59Published · Updated
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Local
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- — Not recorded in CVSS 2.0
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- —
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- None · Partial · None
- Fix status
- No fix listed
Attack profile from CVSS 2.0 · NVD. Fix status from CNA.
Summary
The tempname_ensure function in lib/routines.h in a2ps 4.14 and earlier, as used by the spy_user function and possibly other functions, allows local users to modify arbitrary files via a symlink attack on a temporary file.
Why it matters now
EPSS 0.00396 34th percentileScored 2026-11-07
Fix No fix listed No fixed version in the sources yet
SSVC decision points
Not available: CISA has not published SSVC decision points for this record.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | — | all versions | — | No fix listed | CNA |
- — Vendor— Affected all versions Fixed in — No fix listed CNA
CPE configurations NVD · 6
| CPE | Versions | Role | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpe:2.3:a:gnu:a2ps:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | up to 4.14 | Vulnerable | GNU |
| cpe:2.3:a:gnu:a2ps:4.10.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 4.10.3 | Vulnerable | GNU |
| cpe:2.3:a:gnu:a2ps:4.10.4:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 4.10.4 | Vulnerable | GNU |
| cpe:2.3:a:gnu:a2ps:4.12:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 4.12 | Vulnerable | GNU |
| cpe:2.3:a:gnu:a2ps:4.13:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 4.13 | Vulnerable | GNU |
| cpe:2.3:a:gnu:a2ps:4.13b:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 4.13b | Vulnerable | GNU |
- cpe:2.3:a:gnu:a2ps:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions up to 4.14 Vulnerable ·GNU
- cpe:2.3:a:gnu:a2ps:4.10.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 4.10.3 Vulnerable ·GNU
- cpe:2.3:a:gnu:a2ps:4.10.4:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 4.10.4 Vulnerable ·GNU
- cpe:2.3:a:gnu:a2ps:4.12:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 4.12 Vulnerable ·GNU
- cpe:2.3:a:gnu:a2ps:4.13:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 4.13 Vulnerable ·GNU
- cpe:2.3:a:gnu:a2ps:4.13b:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 4.13b Vulnerable ·GNU
Remediation
No fixed version listed by the sources yet.
Vendor assessments
Red Hat
Red Hat rating: Low. Red Hat's page for this CVE →
Not affected: 3 products
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2001-1593
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-q93q-4mxv-67mp
References
Advisory 1
Other 6
- https://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=737385
- http://pkgs.fedoraproject.org/cgit/a2ps.git/plain/a2ps-4.13-security.patch
- https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1060630
- [oss-security] 20140204 Re: CVE request: a2ps insecure temporary file use
- [oss-security] 20140205 Re: CVE request: a2ps insecure temporary file use
- [oss-security] 20140205 Re: CVE request: a2ps insecure temporary file use
More GNU A2ps vulnerabilities
- TI-2004-01064 a2ps 4.13 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary commands via shell metacharacters in the filename. CVSS 2.0HIGH 10.0
- TI-2015-06744 Format string vulnerability in GNU a2ps 4.14 allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code. CVSS 3.0HIGH 7.8
- TI-2014-00445 The fixps script in a2ps 4.14 does not use the -dSAFER option when executing gs, which… CVSS 2.0MEDIUM 6.8
- TI-2004-01254 The (1) fixps (aka fixps.in) and (2) psmandup (aka psmandup.in) scripts in a2ps before… CVSS 2.0LOW 2.1
Sources
- CVE-2001-1593 · CVE Program
- CVE-2001-1593 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-q93q-4mxv-67mp · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2001-1593 · Red Hat security data · CC BY 4.0
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