How severe is CVE-2008-4996?

CVE-2008-4996 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 5.5, rated medium severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is none, integrity high, and availability none.

Is CVE-2008-4996 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (35th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2008-4996?

CVE-2008-4996 affects Debian Initramfs-tools. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.

How do I fix CVE-2008-4996?

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

When was CVE-2008-4996 published?

CVE-2008-4996 was published on 2008-11-07 and last updated on 2026-06-16.

CVE-2008-4996

CVE-2008-4996 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Debian Initramfs-tools with a CVSS 3.x base score of 5.5. It is not currently listed as actively exploited by CISA, and its EPSS exploit-prediction score is low. The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-59.

Key facts

Severity: Medium (CVSS 3.x base score 5.5)
CVSS v2: 6.9
EPSS exploit prediction: 0% (35th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-59
Affected product: Debian Initramfs-tools
Published: 2008-11-07
Last modified: 2026-06-16

Description

init in initramfs-tools 0.92f allows local users to overwrite arbitrary files via a symlink attack on the /tmp/initramfs.debug temporary file. NOTE: the vendor disputes this vulnerability, stating that "init is [used in] a single-user context; there's no possibility that this is exploitable.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2008-4996?: init in initramfs-tools 0.92f allows local users to overwrite arbitrary files via a symlink attack on the /tmp/initramfs.debug temporary file. NOTE: the vendor disputes this vulnerability, stating that "init is [used in] a single-user context; there's no possibility that this is exploitable.
How severe is CVE-2008-4996?: CVE-2008-4996 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 5.5, rated medium severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires low privileges and no user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is none, integrity high, and availability none.
Is CVE-2008-4996 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 0% (35th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2008-4996?: CVE-2008-4996 affects Debian Initramfs-tools. See the affected-products list for the exact vulnerable versions.
How do I fix CVE-2008-4996?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround.
When was CVE-2008-4996 published?: CVE-2008-4996 was published on 2008-11-07 and last updated on 2026-06-16.

References

Affected products (1)

cpe:2.3:a:debian:initramfs-tools:0.92f:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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