The (1) contrib/eqn2graph/eqn2graph.sh, (2) contrib/grap2graph/grap2graph.sh, and (3)…
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
- Will not fix Red Hat: no fix planned
Attack profile from CVSS 2.0 · NVD. Fix status from CNA and Red Hat.
Summary
The (1) contrib/eqn2graph/eqn2graph.sh, (2) contrib/grap2graph/grap2graph.sh, and (3) contrib/pic2graph/pic2graph.sh scripts in GNU troff (aka groff) 1.21 and earlier do not properly handle certain failed attempts to create temporary directories, which might allow local users to overwrite arbitrary files via a symlink attack on a file in a temporary directory, a different vulnerability than CVE-2004-1296.
Why it matters now
EPSS 0.00357 29th percentileScored 2026-11-07
Fix Will not fix Red Hat: no fix planned
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 · 16
| CPE | Versions | Role | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpe:2.3:a:gnu:groff:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | up to 1.21 | Vulnerable | GNU |
| cpe:2.3:a:gnu:groff:1.10:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 1.10 | Vulnerable | GNU |
| cpe:2.3:a:gnu:groff:1.11:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 1.11 | Vulnerable | GNU |
| cpe:2.3:a:gnu:groff:1.11a:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 1.11a | Vulnerable | GNU |
| cpe:2.3:a:gnu:groff:1.14:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 1.14 | Vulnerable | GNU |
| cpe:2.3:a:gnu:groff:1.15:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 1.15 | Vulnerable | GNU |
| cpe:2.3:a:gnu:groff:1.16:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 1.16 | Vulnerable | GNU |
| cpe:2.3:a:gnu:groff:1.16.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 1.16.1 | Vulnerable | GNU |
| cpe:2.3:a:gnu:groff:1.17.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 1.17.1 | Vulnerable | GNU |
| cpe:2.3:a:gnu:groff:1.17.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 1.17.2 | Vulnerable | GNU |
- 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
| CPE | Versions | Role | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpe:2.3:a:gnu:groff:1.18.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 1.18.1 | Vulnerable | GNU |
| cpe:2.3:a:gnu:groff:1.19:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 1.19 | Vulnerable | GNU |
| cpe:2.3:a:gnu:groff:1.19.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 1.19.1 | Vulnerable | GNU |
| cpe:2.3:a:gnu:groff:1.19.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 1.19.2 | Vulnerable | GNU |
| cpe:2.3:a:gnu:groff:1.20:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 1.20 | Vulnerable | GNU |
| cpe:2.3:a:gnu:groff:1.20.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 1.20.1 | Vulnerable | GNU |
- 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.
Vendor assessments
Red Hat
Red Hat rating: Low. Red Hat's page for this CVE →
| Product | Status | Plan or fix |
|---|---|---|
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 4 | Affected | No fix planned: Will not fix |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5 | Affected | No fix planned: Will not fix |
| Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6 | Affected | No fix planned: Will not fix |
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2009-5080
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-wgpq-q6f4-j3jq
References
Patch 3
Advisory 2
More GNU Groff vulnerabilities
- 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
Sources
- CVE-2009-5080 · CVE Program
- CVE-2009-5080 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-wgpq-q6f4-j3jq · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
- CVE-2009-5080 · Red Hat security data · CC BY 4.0
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