CVE-2008-5081

CVE-2008-5081 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Avahi with a CVSS 2.0 base score of 5.0. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score of 59% places it in the 99th percentile, indicating an elevated likelihood of exploitation. The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-399.

Key facts

• Severity: Medium (CVSS 2.0 base score 5.0)
• EPSS exploit prediction: 59% (99th percentile)
• Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
• Weakness: CWE-399
• Affected product: Avahi
• Published: 2008-12-17
• Last modified: 2026-06-16

Description

The originates_from_local_legacy_unicast_socket function (avahi-core/server.c) in avahi-daemon in Avahi before 0.6.24 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (crash) via a crafted mDNS packet with a source port of 0, which triggers an assertion failure.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2008-5081?

The originates_from_local_legacy_unicast_socket function (avahi-core/server.c) in avahi-daemon in Avahi before 0.6.24 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (crash) via a crafted mDNS packet with a source port of 0, which triggers an assertion failure.

How severe is CVE-2008-5081?

CVE-2008-5081 has a CVSS 2.0 base score of 5.0, rated medium severity.

Is CVE-2008-5081 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 59% (99th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2008-5081?

CVE-2008-5081 primarily affects Avahi. In total, 30 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.

How do I fix CVE-2008-5081?

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

When was CVE-2008-5081 published?

CVE-2008-5081 was published on 2008-12-17 and last updated on 2026-06-16.

References

• http://avahi.org/milestone/Avahi%200.6.24
• http://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse-security-announce/2009-02/msg00000.html
• http://secunia.com/advisories/33153
• http://secunia.com/advisories/33220
• http://secunia.com/advisories/33279
• http://secunia.com/advisories/33475
• http://security.gentoo.org/glsa/glsa-200901-11.xml
• http://www.debian.org/security/2008/dsa-1690
• http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2008/12/14/1
• http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/32825
• http://www.ubuntu.com/usn/usn-696-1
• https://oval.cisecurity.org/repository/search/definition/oval%3Aorg.mitre.oval%3Adef%3A9987
• https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/7520

Affected products (30)

• cpe:2.3:a:avahi:avahi:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:avahi:avahi:0.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:avahi:avahi:0.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:avahi:avahi:0.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:avahi:avahi:0.4:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:avahi:avahi:0.5:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:avahi:avahi:0.5.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:avahi:avahi:0.5.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:avahi:avahi:0.6.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:avahi:avahi:0.6.2:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:avahi:avahi:0.6.3:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:avahi:avahi:0.6.4:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:avahi:avahi:0.6.5:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:avahi:avahi:0.6.6:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:avahi:avahi:0.6.7:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:avahi:avahi:0.6.8:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:avahi:avahi:0.6.9:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:avahi:avahi:0.6.10:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:avahi:avahi:0.6.11:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:avahi:avahi:0.6.12:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:avahi:avahi:0.6.13:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:avahi:avahi:0.6.14:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:avahi:avahi:0.6.15:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:avahi:avahi:0.6.16:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:avahi:avahi:0.6.17:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:avahi:avahi:0.6.18:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:avahi:avahi:0.6.19:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:avahi:avahi:0.6.20:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:avahi:avahi:0.6.21:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
• cpe:2.3:a:avahi:avahi:0.6.22:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

More vulnerabilities in Avahi

• CVE-2017-6519 — Critical (CVSS 9.1): avahi-daemon in Avahi through 0.6.32 and 0.7 inadvertently responds to IPv6 unicast queries with source addresses that…
• CVE-2021-26720 — High (CVSS 7.8): avahi-daemon-check-dns.sh in the Debian avahi package through 0.8-4 is executed as root via…
• CVE-2026-24401 — Medium (CVSS 6.5): Avahi is a system which facilitates service discovery on a local network via the mDNS/DNS-SD protocol suite. In…
• CVE-2025-68471 — Medium (CVSS 6.5): Avahi is a system which facilitates service discovery on a local network via the mDNS/DNS-SD protocol suite. In 0.9-rc2…
• CVE-2025-68468 — Medium (CVSS 6.5): Avahi is a system which facilitates service discovery on a local network via the mDNS/DNS-SD protocol suite. In 0.9-rc2…
• CVE-2023-38473 — Medium (CVSS 6.2): A vulnerability was found in Avahi. A reachable assertion exists in the avahi_alternative_host_name() function.

All CVEs affecting Avahi →

Other CWE-399 (Resource Management Errors) vulnerabilities

• CVE-2015-8104 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): The KVM subsystem in the Linux kernel through 4.2.6, and Xen 4.3.x through 4.6.x, allows guest OS users to cause a…
• CVE-2015-0339 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): Adobe Flash Player before 13.0.0.277 and 14.x through 17.x before 17.0.0.134 on Windows and OS X and before…
• CVE-2015-0335 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): Adobe Flash Player before 13.0.0.277 and 14.x through 17.x before 17.0.0.134 on Windows and OS X and before…
• CVE-2015-0333 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): Adobe Flash Player before 13.0.0.277 and 14.x through 17.x before 17.0.0.134 on Windows and OS X and before…
• CVE-2014-4121 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0 SP2, 3.5, 3.5.1, 4, 4.5, 4.5.1, and 4.5.2 does not properly parse internationalized…
• CVE-2014-0560 — Critical (CVSS 10.0): Use-after-free vulnerability in Adobe Reader and Acrobat 10.x before 10.1.12 and 11.x before 11.0.09 on Windows and OS…

Browse all CWE-399 (Resource Management Errors) vulnerabilities →