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TI-2009-04831 Aliases CVE-2009-5079GHSA-xq95-4rwq-mppc

The (1) gendef.sh, (2) doc/fixinfo.sh, and (3) contrib/gdiffmk/tests/runtests.in scripts…

Priority LOW 16CWE-59Published · Updated

Key facts

Attack vector
Local
Privileges required
None
User interaction
— Not recorded in CVSS 2.0
Attack complexity
Medium
Impact type
—
Confidentiality · integrity · availability
None · Partial · Partial
Fix status
No fix listed

Attack profile from CVSS 2.0 · NVD. Fix status from CNA.

Summary

The (1) gendef.sh, (2) doc/fixinfo.sh, and (3) contrib/gdiffmk/tests/runtests.in scripts in GNU troff (aka groff) 1.21 and earlier allow local users to overwrite arbitrary files via a symlink attack on a gro#####.tmp or /tmp/##### temporary file.

Why it matters now

EPSS 0.00301 23rd 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

VendorProductAffected versionsFixed inStatusSource
——all versions—No fix listedCNA
  • — Vendor— Affected all versions Fixed in — No fix listed CNA

CPE configurations NVD · 16

CPEVersionsRoleVendor
cpe:2.3:a:gnu:groff:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*up to 1.21VulnerableGNU
cpe:2.3:a:gnu:groff:1.10:*:*:*:*:*:*:*1.10VulnerableGNU
cpe:2.3:a:gnu:groff:1.11:*:*:*:*:*:*:*1.11VulnerableGNU
cpe:2.3:a:gnu:groff:1.11a:*:*:*:*:*:*:*1.11aVulnerableGNU
cpe:2.3:a:gnu:groff:1.14:*:*:*:*:*:*:*1.14VulnerableGNU
cpe:2.3:a:gnu:groff:1.15:*:*:*:*:*:*:*1.15VulnerableGNU
cpe:2.3:a:gnu:groff:1.16:*:*:*:*:*:*:*1.16VulnerableGNU
cpe:2.3:a:gnu:groff:1.16.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*1.16.1VulnerableGNU
cpe:2.3:a:gnu:groff:1.17.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*1.17.1VulnerableGNU
cpe:2.3:a:gnu:groff:1.17.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*1.17.2VulnerableGNU
  • cpe:2.3:a:gnu:groff:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions up to 1.21 Vulnerable ·GNU
  • cpe:2.3:a:gnu:groff:1.10:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 1.10 Vulnerable ·GNU
  • cpe:2.3:a:gnu:groff:1.11:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 1.11 Vulnerable ·GNU
  • cpe:2.3:a:gnu:groff:1.11a:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 1.11a Vulnerable ·GNU
  • cpe:2.3:a:gnu:groff:1.14:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 1.14 Vulnerable ·GNU
  • cpe:2.3:a:gnu:groff:1.15:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 1.15 Vulnerable ·GNU
  • cpe:2.3:a:gnu:groff:1.16:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 1.16 Vulnerable ·GNU
  • cpe:2.3:a:gnu:groff:1.16.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 1.16.1 Vulnerable ·GNU
  • cpe:2.3:a:gnu:groff:1.17.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 1.17.1 Vulnerable ·GNU
  • cpe:2.3:a:gnu:groff:1.17.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 1.17.2 Vulnerable ·GNU
Show 6 more CPE
CPEVersionsRoleVendor
cpe:2.3:a:gnu:groff:1.18.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*1.18.1VulnerableGNU
cpe:2.3:a:gnu:groff:1.19:*:*:*:*:*:*:*1.19VulnerableGNU
cpe:2.3:a:gnu:groff:1.19.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*1.19.1VulnerableGNU
cpe:2.3:a:gnu:groff:1.19.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*1.19.2VulnerableGNU
cpe:2.3:a:gnu:groff:1.20:*:*:*:*:*:*:*1.20VulnerableGNU
cpe:2.3:a:gnu:groff:1.20.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*1.20.1VulnerableGNU
  • cpe:2.3:a:gnu:groff:1.18.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 1.18.1 Vulnerable ·GNU
  • cpe:2.3:a:gnu:groff:1.19:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 1.19 Vulnerable ·GNU
  • cpe:2.3:a:gnu:groff:1.19.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 1.19.1 Vulnerable ·GNU
  • cpe:2.3:a:gnu:groff:1.19.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 1.19.2 Vulnerable ·GNU
  • cpe:2.3:a:gnu:groff:1.20:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 1.20 Vulnerable ·GNU
  • cpe:2.3:a:gnu:groff:1.20.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 1.20.1 Vulnerable ·GNU

Remediation

No fixed version listed by the sources yet.

Timeline

  1. 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2009-5079
  2. 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-xq95-4rwq-mppc

References

Patch 2

Advisory 2

Other 2

  • TI-2000-00800 GNU Groff uses the current working directory to find a device description file, which… CVSS 2.0HIGH 10.0
  • TI-2001-00977 Format string vulnerability in pic utility in groff 1.16.1 and other versions, and jgroff… CVSS 2.0HIGH 7.5
  • TI-2002-00003 Buffer overflow in the preprocessor in groff 1.16 and earlier allows remote attackers to… CVSS 2.0HIGH 7.5
  • TI-2009-04830 contrib/pdfmark/pdfroff.sh in GNU troff (aka groff) before 1.21 launches the Ghostscript… CVSS 3.0MEDIUM 6.5
  • TI-2009-04834 The (1) configure and (2) config.guess scripts in GNU troff (aka groff) 1.20.1 on… CVSS 2.0LOW 3.3
  • TI-2009-04833 The (1) config.guess, (2) contrib/groffer/perl/groffer.pl, and (3)… CVSS 2.0LOW 3.3
See all 9 →

Sources

This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences