How severe is CVE-2005-2991?

CVE-2005-2991 has a CVSS 2.0 base score of 2.1, rated low severity.

Is CVE-2005-2991 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (29th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2005-2991?

CVE-2005-2991 affects Ncompress. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.

How do I fix CVE-2005-2991?

Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.

When was CVE-2005-2991 published?

CVE-2005-2991 was published on 2005-09-20 and last updated on 2026-06-16.

CVE-2005-2991

CVE-2005-2991 is a low-severity vulnerability in Ncompress with a CVSS 2.0 base score of 2.1. It is not currently listed as actively exploited by CISA, and its EPSS exploit-prediction score is low.

Key facts

Severity: Low (CVSS 2.0 base score 2.1)
EPSS exploit prediction: 0% (29th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Affected product: Ncompress
Published: 2005-09-20
Last modified: 2026-06-16

Description

ncompress 4.2.4 and earlier allows local users to overwrite arbitrary files via a symlink attack on temporary files using (1) zdiff or (2) zcmp, a different vulnerability than CVE-2004-0970.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2005-2991?: ncompress 4.2.4 and earlier allows local users to overwrite arbitrary files via a symlink attack on temporary files using (1) zdiff or (2) zcmp, a different vulnerability than CVE-2004-0970.
How severe is CVE-2005-2991?: CVE-2005-2991 has a CVSS 2.0 base score of 2.1, rated low severity.
Is CVE-2005-2991 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (29th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2005-2991?: CVE-2005-2991 affects Ncompress. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.
How do I fix CVE-2005-2991?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.
When was CVE-2005-2991 published?: CVE-2005-2991 was published on 2005-09-20 and last updated on 2026-06-16.

References

Affected products (1)

cpe:2.3:a:ncompress:ncompress:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

More vulnerabilities in Ncompress

CVE-2006-1168 — High (CVSS 7.5): The decompress function in compress42.c in (1) ncompress 4.2.4 and (2) liblzw allows remote attackers to cause a denial…
CVE-2001-1413 — High (CVSS 7.5): Stack-based buffer overflow in the comprexx function for ncompress 4.2.4 and earlier, when used in situations that…

All CVEs affecting Ncompress →